Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Gilbert, AZ

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Gilbert, AZ: $2,698 and $2,781 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Gilbert, AZ
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Gilbert, AZ Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Gilbert, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,781

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Gilbert, AZ

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 Gilbert, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,781 in Gilbert, AZ.

Austin, TX $2,698
Gilbert, AZ $2,781

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,931 in Gilbert, AZ.

Austin, TX $4,160
Gilbert, AZ $3,931

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $5,082 in Gilbert, AZ.

Austin, TX $5,622
Gilbert, AZ $5,082

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 3% less than in Gilbert, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Gilbert, AZ 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$19.72 $19.72

4.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$76.2 $76.2

10.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.32 $11.32

6.63%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.95 $4.95

10.71%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.66 $2.66

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.72 $1.72

43.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.36 $6.36

26.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.31 $6.31

40.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.01 $1.01

9.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.34 $3.34

11.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.23 $5.23

-35.56%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.76 $3.76

14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.83 $11.83

10.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.05 $11.05

28.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$13.38 $13.38

22.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.49 $4.49

1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.97 $1.97

-25.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.93 $3.93

19.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.21 $4.21

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.54 $2.54

1.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.84 $1.84

27.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.96 $1.96

-9.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.15 $2.15

-0.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.37 $10.37

-2.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$13.74 $13.74

10.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.12 $2.12

33.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.32 $3.32

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.98 $0.98

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$32.52 $32.52

26.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.72 $2.72

2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.40 $1.40

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$36.46 $36.46

-5.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.98 $0.98

-4.08%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$36.2K $36.2K

-6.25%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.11%

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

$223 $223

$183 $183

21.49%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$62.6 $62.6

-5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$73.1 $73.1

-3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$60.8 $60.8

-5.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$11.96 $11.96

19.23%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$708 $708

113.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$15.6K $15.6K

33.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$50.4 $50.4

1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$44.03 $44.03

0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$89.0 $89.0

-2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$116 $116

-9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,726 $1,726

12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,512 $1,512

-12.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,827 $2,827

29.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,282 $2,282

12.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$5,296 $5,296

38.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$4,683 $4,683

-33.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$5,336 $5,336

-0.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.44

5.43%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Gilbert, AZ: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Gilbert, AZ

$1.5K 54.4% 14.9% $196

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Gilbert, AZ

$371 13.3% 8.6% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Gilbert, AZ

$319 11.5% 9.4% $33

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Gilbert, AZ

$313 11.3% 10.6% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Gilbert, AZ

$135 4.8% 4.3% $5.5

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Gilbert, AZ

$85 3.1% 1.7% $1.5

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Gilbert, AZ

$46 1.7% 20.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,726 in Gilbert, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gilbert, AZ pays 1% 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 $76.0 in Gilbert, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $371 per month, with Gilbert, AZ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Gilbert, AZ

🕒 Local time

08:18 8:18 AM

06:18 6:18 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

208,453

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Gilbert, AZ 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Gilbert, AZ

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 Gilbert, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Gilbert, AZ. 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 1% lower in Gilbert, AZ. 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,726 in Gilbert, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,781 in Gilbert, AZ – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 26% less than in Gilbert, AZ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching 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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Gilbert, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.