Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Goose Creek, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Goose Creek, SC: $2,471 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Goose Creek, SC
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Goose Creek, SC Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Goose Creek, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Goose Creek, SC

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 Goose Creek, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $2,471 in Goose Creek, SC.

Austin, TX $2,689
Goose Creek, SC $2,471

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,428 in Goose Creek, SC.

Austin, TX $4,112
Goose Creek, SC $3,428

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $4,384 in Goose Creek, SC.

Austin, TX $5,534
Goose Creek, SC $4,384

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 9% more expensive than in Goose Creek, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Goose Creek, SC 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$16.15 $16.15

32.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$60.4 $60.4

45.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$10.89 $10.89

14.23%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.95 $4.95

13.13%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$2.73 $2.73

33.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.03 $2.03

17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$5.06 $5.06

54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$5.95 $5.95

47.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.85 $0.85

31.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.02 $3.02

19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.34 $3.34

4.79%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$2.82 $2.82

57.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$12.55 $12.55

5.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$14.76 $14.76

-5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$13.56 $13.56

21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$5.40 $5.40

-12.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.45 $1.45

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.54 $4.54

2.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.55 $4.55

-0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.73 $3.73

-31.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.12 $3.12

-23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.97 $1.97

-6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.73 $1.73

23.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$7.89 $7.89

27.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.79 $11.79

26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.42 $2.42

16.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.75 $3.75

-12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.03 $2.03

-39.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$59.3 $59.3

-30.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.52 $3.52

-23.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.53 $1.53

6.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$24.86 $24.86

41.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.88 $0.88

11.36%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$28.5K $28.5K

20.75%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.57%

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

$252 $252

$178 $178

41.34%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$67.3 $67.3

-11.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$79.9 $79.9

-12.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$44.01 $44.01

37.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

$18.31 $18.31

-0.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$10.57 $10.57

30.09%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$637 $637

128.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$13.1K $13.1K

103.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$47.33 $47.33

11.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$37.52 $37.52

21.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$83.2 $83.2

2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$98.7 $98.7

7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,373 $1,373

59.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,223 $1,223

3.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$1,948 $1,948

105.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$1,680 $1,680

43.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$2,080 $2,080

254.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$2,100 $2,100

41.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$2,974 $2,974

69.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.33

7.74%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Goose Creek, SC: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Goose Creek, SC

$1.2K 49.5% 3.6% $46

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Goose Creek, SC

$381 15.4% 6.4% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Goose Creek, SC

$326 13.2% 14.7% $56

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Goose Creek, SC

$278 11.2% 22.1% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Goose Creek, SC

$120 4.9% 7.9% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Goose Creek, SC

$65 2.6% 25.9% $23

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Goose Creek, SC

$79 3.2% 37.4% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $1,373 in Goose Creek, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 70% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $60 in Goose Creek, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $381 per month, with Goose Creek, SC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Goose Creek, SC

🕒 Local time

01:26 1:26 AM

02:26 2:26 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

35,938

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Goose Creek, SC 1,700 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Goose Creek, SC

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 Goose Creek, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Goose Creek, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Goose Creek, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 70% 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: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $1,373 in Goose Creek, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,471 in Goose Creek, SC – Goose Creek, SC is about 8% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 30% less than in Goose Creek, SC. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Goose Creek, SC 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 – Goose Creek, SC wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.