Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Herndon, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,296 in Herndon, VA, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 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
157

Cost of Living Index in Herndon, VA
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Herndon, VA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Herndon, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,296

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Herndon, VA

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 Herndon, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $3,296 in Herndon, VA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Herndon, VA $3,296

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $4,928 in Herndon, VA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Herndon, VA $4,928

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $6,559 in Herndon, VA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Herndon, VA $6,559

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 21% less than in Herndon, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Herndon, VA 142% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$24.06 $24.06

-15.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$98.7 $98.7

-14.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.06 $11.06

9.58%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.78 $5.78

-2.25%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.01 $3.01

22.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.51 $2.51

-5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.85 $7.85

0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$8.92 $8.92

-1.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.21 $1.21

-5.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.18 $4.18

-11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.30 $5.30

-37.55%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.17 $5.17

-19.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$16.93 $16.93

-23.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$15.90 $15.90

-12.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$18.78 $18.78

-12.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.65 $5.65

-16.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.89 $1.89

-23.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.74 $4.74

7.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.65 $5.65

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.79 $2.79

10.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.84 $3.84

-38.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.38 $2.38

-24.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.58 $2.58

-13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.62 $9.62

3.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$16.30 $16.30

-7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.74 $2.74

6.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.79 $2.79

19.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.46 $2.46

-50.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$30.55 $30.55

32.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.02 $4.02

-30.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.26 $1.26

30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$25.39 $25.39

39.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.06 $1.06

-10.38%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$32.5K $32.5K

5.27%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.49%

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

$223 $223

$164 $164

36.16%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$82.4 $82.4

-29.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$69.9 $69.9

1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$55.6 $55.6

-4.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$10.08 $10.08

66.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$16.38 $16.38

-14.16%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,888 $1,888

-22.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$36.4K $36.4K

-41.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$65.4 $65.4

-19.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$43.45 $43.45

-1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$106 $106

-18.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$125 $125

-16.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$2,135 $2,135

-1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,836 $1,836

-32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$3,370 $3,370

14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$3,179 $3,179

-24.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$5,520 $5,520

-6.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.63

2.87%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Herndon, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Herndon, VA

$1.8K 55.7% 49.2% $605

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Herndon, VA

$478 14.5% 16.6% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Herndon, VA

$316 9.6% 10.4% $37

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Herndon, VA

$374 11.4% 7.5% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Herndon, VA

$153 4.6% 19.1% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Herndon, VA

$88 2.7% 8.8% $7.2

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Herndon, VA

$51 1.5% 10.1% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $2,135 in Herndon, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Herndon, VA pays 7% 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 in Austin, TX vs $99 in Herndon, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $478 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Herndon, VA

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

14:48 2:48 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

24,655

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Herndon, VA 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Herndon, VA

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 Herndon, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Herndon, VA. 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 6% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $2,135 in Herndon, VA. 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 $3,296 in Herndon, VA – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Herndon, VA runs roughly 25% 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 $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, Herndon, VA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.