Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Franklin, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,122 in Franklin, TN, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Franklin, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$3,122

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Franklin, TN

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 Franklin, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $3,122 in Franklin, TN.

Austin, TX $2,607
Franklin, TN $3,122

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $4,506 in Franklin, TN.

Austin, TX $4,031
Franklin, TN $4,506

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,889 in Franklin, TN.

Austin, TX $5,454
Franklin, TN $5,889

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 16% less than in Franklin, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Franklin, TN 129% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$28.12 $28.12

-27.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$87.3 $87.3

-3.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.90 $11.90

1.85%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$7.33 $7.33

-22.92%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.37 $3.37

9.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.29 $2.29

3.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.55 $7.55

4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$8.07 $8.07

9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.31 $1.31

-12.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.81 $3.81

-3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.71 $5.71

-27.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$15.47 $15.47

-16.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$17.84 $17.84

-22.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.94 $3.94

19.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.93 $1.93

-24.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.97 $1.97

56.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.13 $2.13

11.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.47 $2.47

-27.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.46 $9.46

5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.87 $12.87

16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.98 $0.98

24.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$61.0 $61.0

-33.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.87 $0.87

9.20%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$28.1K $28.1K

21.72%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

-1.64%

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

$223 $223

$214 $214

4.44%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$116 $116

-49.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$90.5 $90.5

-21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$58.6 $58.6

-9.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$16.06 $16.06

-12.45%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$397 $397

267.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$98.6 $98.6

-46.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$63.7 $63.7

-32.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$75.6 $75.6

14.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$112 $112

-7.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,924 $1,924

9.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,677 $1,677

-26.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$3,203 $3,203

20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,711 $2,711

-11.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$3,526 $3,526

110.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,932 $2,932

4.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$6,239 $6,239

-16.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.59

3.49%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Franklin, TN: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Franklin, TN

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Franklin, TN

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Franklin, TN

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Franklin, TN

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Franklin, TN

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Franklin, TN

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Franklin, TN

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,924 in Franklin, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Franklin, TN pays 20% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $87 in Franklin, TN. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $287, with Franklin, TN cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Franklin, TN

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

83,454

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Franklin, TN 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Franklin, TN

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 Franklin, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Franklin, TN. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Austin, TX. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,924 in Franklin, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $397 in Franklin, TN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 34% less than in Franklin, TN. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, Franklin, TN on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.