Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Grand Rapids, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Grand Rapids, MI: $2,440 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 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
118

Cost of Living Index in Grand Rapids, MI
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Grand Rapids, MI Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Grand Rapids, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,440

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Grand Rapids, MI

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 Grand Rapids, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,440 in Grand Rapids, MI.

Austin, TX $2,607
Grand Rapids, MI $2,440

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,757 in Grand Rapids, MI.

Austin, TX $4,031
Grand Rapids, MI $3,757

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,074 in Grand Rapids, MI.

Austin, TX $5,454
Grand Rapids, MI $5,074

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 7% more expensive than in Grand Rapids, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Grand Rapids, MI 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$19.76 $19.76

2.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$74.8 $74.8

13.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.85 $9.85

23.05%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$4.56 $4.56

23.90%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.80 $2.80

31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.69 $1.69

39.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.97 $5.97

31.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$6.57 $6.57

34.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.84 $0.84

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.68 $3.68

0.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.28 $3.28

0.91%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$4.27 $4.27

-2.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$15.08 $15.08

-13.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$13.70 $13.70

1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$14.96 $14.96

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.02 $5.02

-6.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.64 $1.64

-11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.67 $5.67

-9.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$6.05 $6.05

-25.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.10 $2.10

46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.77 $3.77

-36.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.79 $2.79

-35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.55 $2.55

-12.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.45 $10.45

-4.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.72 $14.72

2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.00 $2.00

45.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.60 $2.60

28.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.72 $1.72

-29.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$47.24 $47.24

-14.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.64 $4.64

-40.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.03 $2.03

-18.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$31.67 $31.67

11.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.10 $1.10

-13.64%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

26.37%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.90%

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

$223 $223

$131 $131

69.63%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$49.23 $49.23

18.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$72.9 $72.9

-2.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$41.54 $41.54

27.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$20.22 $20.22

-17.16%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$13.51 $13.51

4.07%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$899 $899

62.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$20.8K $20.8K

2.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$63.9 $63.9

-17.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$77.0 $77.0

-44.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$100 $100

-13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$118 $118

-12.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,732 $1,732

21.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,162 $1,162

5.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,498 $2,498

54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,154 $2,154

11.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,928 $2,928

153.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,061 $2,061

48.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,906 $3,906

32.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Grand Rapids, MI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Grand Rapids, MI

$1.2K 47.6% 5.6% $69

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Grand Rapids, MI

$422 17.3% 3% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Grand Rapids, MI

$254 10.4% 28.1% $99

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Grand Rapids, MI

$303 12.4% 12.9% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Grand Rapids, MI

$162 6.6% 26% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Grand Rapids, MI

$69 2.8% 15.5% $13

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Grand Rapids, MI

$69 2.8% 22.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,732 in Grand Rapids, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 33% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $75 in Grand Rapids, MI. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $422, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Grand Rapids, MI

🕒 Local time

13:00 1:00 PM

14:00 2:00 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

198,917

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Grand Rapids, MI 1,770 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Grand Rapids, MI

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 Grand Rapids, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grand Rapids, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Grand Rapids, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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 $1,732 in Grand Rapids, MI. 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 $2,440 in Grand Rapids, MI – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 14% less than in Grand Rapids, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

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 – Grand Rapids, MI wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.