Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Harrisburg, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Harrisburg, PA: $2,495 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Harrisburg, PA
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Harrisburg, PA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Harrisburg, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,495

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Harrisburg, PA

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 Harrisburg, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,495 in Harrisburg, PA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Harrisburg, PA $2,495

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,624 in Harrisburg, PA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Harrisburg, PA $3,624

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,752 in Harrisburg, PA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Harrisburg, PA $4,752

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 8% more expensive than in Harrisburg, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Harrisburg, PA 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$13.34 $13.34

54.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$66.1 $66.1

27.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.67 $10.67

13.12%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.14 $5.14

6.61%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.77 $2.77

37.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.30 $2.30

7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.13 $5.13

56.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$7.20 $7.20

23.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.29 $1.29

-13.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.97 $3.97

-6.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.51 $2.51

34.26%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$6.41 $6.41

-32.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$14.93 $14.93

-12.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$14.44 $14.44

-2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$18.78 $18.78

-13.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.41 $4.41

3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.65 $1.65

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.56 $5.56

-15.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.28 $5.28

-21.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.06 $3.06

-15.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.09 $4.09

-42.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.15 $2.15

-17.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.69 $2.69

-20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.81 $11.81

-14.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.11 $15.11

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.52 $2.52

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$5.13 $5.13

-32.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.48 $2.48

-37.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$49.42 $49.42

-17.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$6.62 $6.62

-57.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.94 $1.94

-17.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$39.47 $39.47

-13.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.09 $1.09

-13.76%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.4K $27.4K

23.92%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.3K $27.3K

-1.92%

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

$223 $223

$160 $160

38.99%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$43.79 $43.79

34.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$72.5 $72.5

-2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$27.57 $27.57

109.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$20.01 $20.01

-17.39%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$11.17 $11.17

27.66%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,119 $1,119

34.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$20.7K $20.7K

0.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$40.56 $40.56

26.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$32.10 $32.10

37.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$79.0 $79.0

10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$100 $100

4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,436 $1,436

35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,266 $1,266

3.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,072 $2,072

76.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,006 $2,006

27.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,884 $1,884

290.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,803 $1,803

73.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,176 $4,176

26.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.29

7.95%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Harrisburg, PA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Harrisburg, PA

$1.3K 50.7% 3.8% $51

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Harrisburg, PA

$453 18.2% 11.7% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Harrisburg, PA

$276 11.1% 21.5% $76

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Harrisburg, PA

$261 10.5% 25.5% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Harrisburg, PA

$113 4.5% 12.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Harrisburg, PA

$50 2% 42.1% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Harrisburg, PA

$76 3% 30.6% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,436 in Harrisburg, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 27% 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 $66.0 in Harrisburg, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $453, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Harrisburg, PA

🕒 Local time

20:50 8:50 PM

21:50 9:50 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

49,528

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Harrisburg, PA 2,190 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Harrisburg, PA

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 Harrisburg, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harrisburg, PA 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 Harrisburg, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,436 in Harrisburg, PA. 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 $2,495 in Harrisburg, PA – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Harrisburg, PA runs roughly 21% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Harrisburg, PA 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Harrisburg, PA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Harrisburg, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.