Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Highlands Ranch, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Highlands Ranch, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
161

Cost of Living Index in Highlands Ranch, CO
Learn more

Highlands Ranch, CO Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Highlands Ranch, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,365

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Highlands Ranch, CO

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 Highlands Ranch, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Austin, TX $2,698
Highlands Ranch, CO $3,365

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $2,987 in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Austin, TX $4,160
Highlands Ranch, CO $2,987

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $2,609 in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Austin, TX $5,622
Highlands Ranch, CO $2,609

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 20% less than in Highlands Ranch, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Highlands Ranch, CO 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$15.27 $15.27

35.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$79.5 $79.5

6.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.20 $10.20

18.33%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.26 $6.26

-12.46%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.48 $2.48

53.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.13 $2.13

15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.06 $5.06

59.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.15 $6.15

44.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.04 $1.04

6.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.89 $2.89

28.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.80 $2.80

20.36%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.28 $4.28

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$10.81 $10.81

21.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$7.20 $7.20

96.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$19.01 $19.01

-14.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.04 $4.04

12.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.50 $1.50

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.86 $4.86

-3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.26 $5.26

-21.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.61 $3.61

-28.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.58 $4.58

-48.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.22 $2.22

-20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.71 $1.71

25.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.41 $10.41

-2.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$16.42 $16.42

-7.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.50 $2.50

12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.61 $2.61

31.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.48 $2.48

12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.89 $1.89

-15.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$25.39 $25.39

35.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.02 $1.02

-7.84%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

21.35%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.16%

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

$223 $223

$215 $215

3.66%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$56.8 $56.8

3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$68.8 $68.8

2.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$11.99 $11.99

18.93%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,306 $1,306

15.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$12.3K $12.3K

70.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$60.1 $60.1

-14.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$68.4 $68.4

-35.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$78.5 $78.5

10.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$118 $118

-11.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,864 $2,864

-32.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,190 $2,190

-39.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$7,275 $7,275

-27.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.7

1.34%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Highlands Ranch, CO: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$2.2K 65.1% 66.4% $874

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$368 10.9% 9.3% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$340 10.1% 3.4% $12

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$284 8.4% 18.9% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$146 4.4% 13.4% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$24 * 0.7% 72.2% $62

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$12 * 0.4% 79.4% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $2,864 in Highlands Ranch, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Highlands Ranch, CO pays 38% 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 $80.0 in Highlands Ranch, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $368 per month, with Highlands Ranch, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Highlands Ranch, CO

🕒 Local time

19:26 7:26 PM

18:26 6:26 PM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

💱 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 Highlands Ranch, CO 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Highlands Ranch, CO

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 Highlands Ranch, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Highlands Ranch, CO. 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 38% lower in Highlands Ranch, CO. 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 $2,864 in Highlands Ranch, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,306 in Highlands Ranch, CO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $80.0 in Highlands Ranch, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Highlands Ranch, CO 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Highlands Ranch, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.