Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Fort Worth, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Fort Worth, TX: $2,607 and $2,668 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Fort Worth, TX
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Fort Worth, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Fort Worth, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,668

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Worth, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,668 in Fort Worth, TX.

Austin, TX $2,607
Fort Worth, TX $2,668

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,930 in Fort Worth, TX.

Austin, TX $4,031
Fort Worth, TX $3,930

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,191 in Fort Worth, TX.

Austin, TX $5,454
Fort Worth, TX $5,191

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Fort Worth, TX; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Fort Worth, TX 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$17.82 $17.82

14.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$52.2 $52.2

62.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.83 $11.83

2.45%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$6.25 $6.25

-9.60%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.90 $2.90

26.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.43 $2.43

-2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.55 $5.55

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.82 $7.82

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.87 $0.87

31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.78 $3.78

-2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.11 $5.11

-35.23%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.68 $3.68

12.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.68 $10.68

21.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$15.29 $15.29

-9.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$20.57 $20.57

-20.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.33 $6.33

-25.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.84 $2.84

-48.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.23 $5.23

-2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.60 $4.60

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.65 $2.65

16.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.45 $3.45

-31.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.27 $2.27

-20.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.49 $2.49

-10.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.13 $10.13

-1.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$21.30 $21.30

-29.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.12 $2.12

37.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.37 $3.37

-1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.94 $1.94

-37.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$76.8 $76.8

-47.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.92 $2.92

-4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.69 $1.69

-2.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$24.22 $24.22

46.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.00 $1.00

-5.00%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$36.8K $36.8K

-7.03%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.93%

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

$223 $223

$207 $207

7.90%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$92.8 $92.8

-37.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$85.1 $85.1

-16.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$51.1 $51.1

3.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$20.17 $20.17

-16.96%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$14.84 $14.84

-5.26%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,937 $1,937

-24.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$27.6K $27.6K

-22.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$59.8 $59.8

-12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$50.7 $50.7

-15.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$123 $123

-29.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$135 $135

-22.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,694 $1,694

24.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,165 $1,165

5.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,785 $2,785

38.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,023 $2,023

18.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$3,904 $3,904

90.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,872 $1,872

63.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,416 $4,416

17.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.62

3.02%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Fort Worth, TX: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Fort Worth, TX

$1.2K 43.7% 5.3% $65

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Fort Worth, TX

$458 17.2% 11.9% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Fort Worth, TX

$385 14.4% 9.1% $32

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Fort Worth, TX

$318 11.9% 8.7% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Fort Worth, TX

$166 6.2% 29% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Fort Worth, TX

$81 3% 0.5% $0.4

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Fort Worth, TX

$96 3.6% 69.9% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,694 in Fort Worth, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 17% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $52 in Fort Worth, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $458, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Fort Worth, TX

🕒 Local time

09:54 9:54 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

996,756

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Fort Worth, TX 280 km

From you

Austin, TX
Fort Worth, TX

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 Worth, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 17% 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,694 in Fort Worth, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,937 in Fort Worth, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort Worth, TX – a meal for two runs $52 versus $85 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. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.