Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Fort Collins, CO Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Fort Collins, CO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,715 in Austin, TX versus $2,675 in Fort Collins, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,156 in Austin, TX versus $4,067 in Fort Collins, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,596 in Austin, TX versus $5,459 in Fort Collins, CO.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 1% more expensive than in Fort Collins, CO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 98% above, Fort Collins, CO 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 $19.66

$22.21 $22.21

-11.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$79.6 $79.6

6.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 $12.30

$10.95 $10.95

12.33%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$6.06 $6.06

-10.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.52 $2.52

43.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.17 $2.17

11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$6.85 $6.85

15.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.89 $8.89

$7.08 $7.08

25.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.00 $1.00

7.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.95 $2.95

24.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.75 $2.75

21.45%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$4.36 $4.36

-1.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 $13.00

$10.84 $10.84

19.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$10.21 $10.21

39.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.68 $16.68

$20.54 $20.54

-18.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$5.26 $5.26

-14.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.50 $1.50

-5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.00 $5.00

-8.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$5.30 $5.30

-11.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.47 $3.47

-21.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.57 $4.57

-43.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.31 $2.31

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.71 $1.71

28.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 $10.04

$9.79 $9.79

2.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$18.05 $18.05

-16.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.56 $2.56

14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.74 $2.74

20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.52 $41.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.43 $2.43

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.89 $1.89

-12.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.05 $35.05

$24.75 $24.75

41.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.03 $1.03

-13.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.4K $36.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

1.16%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

8.94%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$223 $223

$213 $213

4.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.4 $57.4

$55.7 $55.7

3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$70.7 $70.7

-3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 $65.6

$53.9 $53.9

21.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.61 $14.61

$30.07 $30.07

-51.41%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$12.22 $12.22

14.16%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,523 $1,523

$1,315 $1,315

15.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$12.4K $12.4K

72.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$60.9 $60.9

-12.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 $42.81

$67.5 $67.5

-36.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$80.1 $80.1

6.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$116 $116

-11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 $1,948

$1,861 $1,861

4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 $1,267

$1,371 $1,371

-7.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,765 $3,765

$2,735 $2,735

37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 $2,553

$2,478 $2,478

3.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,179 $7,179

$3,041 $3,041

136.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,140 $3,140

$3,003 $3,003

4.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,955 $4,955

$4,390 $4,390

12.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

6.08

6.41%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: September 14, 2026

Last update for Fort Collins, CO: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,948 in Austin, TX and $1,861 in Fort Collins, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $80.0 in Fort Collins, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $399 per month, with Fort Collins, CO cheaper across the board.

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 Collins, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Collins, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fort Collins, CO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,948 in Austin, TX versus $1,861 in Fort Collins, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,523 in Austin, TX versus $1,315 in Fort Collins, CO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort Collins, CO – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Fort Collins, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Fort Collins, CO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,675 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fort Collins, CO hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Fort Collins, CO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fort Collins, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.