Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Galveston, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Galveston, TX: $2,222 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Galveston, TX
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Galveston, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Galveston, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,222

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Galveston, 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 Galveston, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,222 in Galveston, TX.

Austin, TX $2,607
Galveston, TX $2,222

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,215 in Galveston, TX.

Austin, TX $4,031
Galveston, TX $3,215

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,209 in Galveston, TX.

Austin, TX $5,454
Galveston, TX $4,209

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 17% more expensive than in Galveston, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Galveston, TX 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$22.04 $22.04

-7.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$76.5 $76.5

10.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$7.95 $7.95

-28.93%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.84 $2.84

29.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.77 $1.77

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.15 $5.15

52.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$4.05 $4.05

117.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.81 $0.81

40.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.56 $2.56

44.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.81 $2.81

17.79%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.75 $2.75

50.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$11.45 $11.45

13.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.54 $9.54

45.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$13.24 $13.24

23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.47 $5.47

-14.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.57 $1.57

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.18 $3.18

60.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.76 $3.76

20.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.13 $2.13

44.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.50 $2.50

-4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.79 $1.79

24.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.91 $9.91

0.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.90 $10.90

38.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.79 $1.79

62.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.77 $1.77

88.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.95 $1.95

-37.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$32.77 $32.77

23.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$9.90 $9.90

-71.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.82 $1.82

-9.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$60.6 $60.6

-41.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

27.39%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.51%

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

$223 $223

$176 $176

26.58%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$42.42 $42.42

37.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$39.79 $39.79

78.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$34.89 $34.89

52.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$11.17 $11.17

25.87%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$759 $759

92.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$18.2K $18.2K

17.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$44.12 $44.12

18.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$38.49 $38.49

11.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$73.4 $73.4

17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$81.1 $81.1

27.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,186 $1,186

78.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,059 $1,059

16.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,118 $2,118

82.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,579 $1,579

52.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,698 $2,698

175.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,158 $2,158

41.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,045 $4,045

28.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.57

3.81%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Galveston, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Galveston, TX

$1.1K 47.7% 13.9% $171

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Galveston, TX

$320 14.4% 21.8% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Galveston, TX

$258 11.6% 26.7% $94

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Galveston, TX

$360 16.2% 3.5% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Galveston, TX

$107 4.8% 16.9% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Galveston, TX

$57 2.6% 29.5% $24

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Galveston, TX

$60 2.7% 5.5% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,186 in Galveston, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 28% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $77 in Galveston, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $320 per month, with Galveston, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Galveston, TX

🕒 Local time

04:41 4:41 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

53,695

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Galveston, TX 300 km

From you

Austin, TX
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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 Galveston, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galveston, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Galveston, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 28% 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 $1,186 in Galveston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,222 in Galveston, TX – Galveston, TX is about 15% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Galveston, TX runs roughly 19% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Galveston, TX gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Galveston, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.