Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Hot Springs, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Hot Springs, AR: $1,720 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 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
83

Cost of Living Index in Hot Springs, AR
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Hot Springs, AR Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Hot Springs, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,720

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Hot Springs, AR

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 Hot Springs, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $1,720 in Hot Springs, AR.

Austin, TX $2,607
Hot Springs, AR $1,720

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,576 in Hot Springs, AR.

Austin, TX $4,031
Hot Springs, AR $2,576

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,432 in Hot Springs, AR.

Austin, TX $5,454
Hot Springs, AR $3,432

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 52% more expensive than in Hot Springs, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Hot Springs, AR 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$16.83 $16.83

20.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$69.6 $69.6

21.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.35 $9.35

29.63%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.09 $5.09

11.00%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.86 $2.86

28.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.46 $1.46

61.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.10 $5.10

54.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$6.14 $6.14

43.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.94 $0.94

21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.05 $3.05

20.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.98 $1.98

67.17%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.27 $2.27

82.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$11.23 $11.23

15.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$12.46 $12.46

11.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$19.35 $19.35

-15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.53 $3.53

32.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.33 $1.33

9.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.60 $3.60

41.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.78 $3.78

19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.80 $1.80

71.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.67 $2.67

-10.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.31 $2.31

-22.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.07 $1.07

107.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.03 $9.03

10.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$18.83 $18.83

-20.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.51 $2.51

15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.48 $4.48

-25.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.17 $1.17

4.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$28.06 $28.06

44.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.82 $2.82

-1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.23 $2.23

-26.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.86 $0.86

10.47%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$17.2K $17.2K

98.57%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$22.5K $22.5K

18.82%

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

$223 $223

$174 $174

27.89%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$56.1 $56.1

4.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$39.93 $39.93

78.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$34.54 $34.54

53.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$9.86 $9.86

69.88%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$9.87 $9.87

42.45%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$609 $609

139.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$40.08 $40.08

30.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$40.48 $40.48

5.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$98.9 $98.9

-12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$79.9 $79.9

29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$717 $717

194.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$591 $591

108.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,068 $1,068

261.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$897 $897

168.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,947 $1,947

281.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,001 $2,001

52.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,558 $3,558

45.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.49

5.08%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Hot Springs, AR: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Hot Springs, AR

$591 34.4% 52% $639

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Hot Springs, AR

$362 21.1% 11.7% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Hot Springs, AR

$270 15.7% 23.3% $82

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Hot Springs, AR

$279 16.2% 19.9% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Hot Springs, AR

$117 6.8% 9.1% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Hot Springs, AR

$54 3.2% 33.1% $27

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Hot Springs, AR

$47 2.7% 17.3% $9.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $717 in Hot Springs, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 46% 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 $70 in Hot Springs, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $362 per month, with Hot Springs, AR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Hot Springs, AR

🕒 Local time

04:08 4:08 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

37,930

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Hot Springs, AR 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Hot Springs, AR

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 Hot Springs, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hot Springs, AR wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Hot Springs, AR the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 46% 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 $717 in Hot Springs, AR. 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 $1,720 in Hot Springs, AR – Hot Springs, AR is about 34% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Hot Springs, AR runs roughly 31% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $1,720 in Hot Springs, AR versus $2,607 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hot Springs, AR but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Hot Springs, AR the clear choice for anyone on this 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.

Expats usually find Hot Springs, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.