Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Fort Atkinson, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Atkinson, WI: $2,292 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Fort Atkinson, WI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,292
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Fort Atkinson, WI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Fort Atkinson, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI.

  • Austin, TX $2,698
  • Fort Atkinson, WI $2,292

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,361 in Fort Atkinson, WI.

  • Austin, TX $4,160
  • Fort Atkinson, WI $3,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,430 in Fort Atkinson, WI.

  • Austin, TX $5,622
  • Fort Atkinson, WI $4,430

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 18% more expensive than in Fort Atkinson, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Fort Atkinson, WI 69% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.63 $20.63
$13.85 $13.85
48.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$75.8 $75.8
11.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.07 $12.07
$12.21 $12.21
-1.15%
Cappuccino
$5.48 $5.48
$5.27 $5.27
3.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 $3.80
$2.91 $2.91
30.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.35 $2.35
5.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$5.94 $5.94
35.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.88 $8.88
$8.28 $8.28
7.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$0.82 $0.82
35.37%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.15 $2.15
73.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.37 $3.37
$2.86 $2.86
17.83%
Eggs
$4.32 $4.32
$3.49 $3.49
23.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.13 $13.13
$7.84 $7.84
67.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.15 $14.15
$10.91 $10.91
29.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.33 $16.33
$10.56 $10.56
54.64%
Apples (1kg)
$4.55 $4.55
$5.74 $5.74
-20.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.72 $1.72
-15.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.71 $4.71
$3.45 $3.45
36.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$4.82 $4.82
-13.90%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.75 $2.75
-6.18%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$3.21 $3.21
-26.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.99 $1.99
-11.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.97 $1.97
8.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.10 $10.10
$12.14 $12.14
-16.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.19 $15.19
$8.14 $8.14
86.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.68 $1.68
67.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 $3.44
$3.27 $3.27
5.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.92 $1.92
-19.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.99 $40.99
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.80 $2.80
$3.17 $3.17
-11.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 $1.60
$1.78 $1.78
-10.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.34 $34.34
$31.11 $31.11
10.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.01 $1.01
-6.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K $34.0K
$34.7K $34.7K
-1.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$25.8K $25.8K
3.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$173 $173
28.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9 $58.9
$49.97 $49.97
17.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$50.5 $50.5
39.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.7 $57.7
$36.40 $36.40
58.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53 $16.53
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 $14.26
$8.16 $8.16
74.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,511 $1,511
$1,177 $1,177
28.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.9K $20.9K
$24.3K $24.3K
-14.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$19.69 $19.69
160.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.17 $44.17
$14.80 $14.80
198.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 $87.0
$44.96 $44.96
93.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$64.4 $64.4
62.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,940 $1,940
$1,588 $1,588
22.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,316 $1,316
$1,284 $1,284
2.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$2,522 $2,522
45.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,565 $2,565
$2,145 $2,145
19.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,354 $7,354
$2,512 $2,512
192.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,129 $3,129
$2,233 $2,233
40.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,286 $5,286
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
6.43
5.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fort Atkinson, WI: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Fort Atkinson, WI
$1.3K 2.4% $32
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$406
Fort Atkinson, WI
$319 21.3% $87
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$352
Fort Atkinson, WI
$273 22.4% $79
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$350
Fort Atkinson, WI
$278 20.6% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Fort Atkinson, WI
$65 49.9% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Fort Atkinson, WI
$53 38.8% $33
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$58
Fort Atkinson, WI
$20 * 65.8% $38

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,588 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $76.0 in Fort Atkinson, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $319 per month, with Fort Atkinson, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Fort Atkinson, WI
🕒 Local time
22:17 10:17 PM
22:17 10:17 PM
Same time as Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
12,500
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Fort Atkinson, WI 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Fort Atkinson, WI

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Austin, TX vs Fort Atkinson, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Fort Atkinson, WI?
Fort Atkinson, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fort Atkinson, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Fort Atkinson, WI?
You'd need roughly $4,046 in Austin, TX and $3,438 in Fort Atkinson, WI to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Fort Atkinson, WI?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,588 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Fort Atkinson, WI?
Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,177 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Fort Atkinson, WI?
Dining out is cheaper in Fort Atkinson, WI – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Fort Atkinson, WI?
At $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fort Atkinson, WI but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Fort Atkinson, WI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Fort Atkinson, WI?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Fort Atkinson, WI?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Fort Atkinson, WI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Fort Atkinson, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?