Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Houston, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Houston, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,646 in Austin, TX versus $2,746 in Houston, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,220 in Austin, TX versus $3,895 in Houston, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,794 in Austin, TX versus $5,045 in Houston, TX.

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 4% less than in Houston, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Houston, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$19.92 $19.92

-0.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$75.5 $75.5

11.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.27 $12.27

$10.11 $10.11

21.36%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.42 $5.42

3.87%

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

$3.59 $3.59

$2.72 $2.72

31.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.18 $2.18

9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.17 $6.17

26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.10 $9.10

$7.87 $7.87

15.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.87 $0.87

31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.38 $3.38

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.25 $4.25

-22.12%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$3.35 $3.35

32.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$12.64 $12.64

2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$12.71 $12.71

15.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 $17.42

$16.28 $16.28

7.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.35 $4.35

5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.41 $1.41

2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.95 $2.95

61.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.32 $3.32

49.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.39 $2.39

25.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.84 $2.84

-3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.87 $1.87

4.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.61 $2.61

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 $9.26

$9.51 $9.51

-2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$14.50 $14.50

2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.53 $2.53

13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.03 $3.03

18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.28 $1.28

28.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 $41.90

$76.2 $76.2

-45.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.98 $2.98

-5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.47 $1.47

8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.68 $34.68

$23.55 $23.55

47.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.94 $0.94

1.06%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.0K $36.0K

-0.72%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$27.2K $27.2K

-1.14%

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

$229 $229

$199 $199

15.10%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$62.6 $62.6

-6.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 $69.3

$74.8 $74.8

-7.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 $65.8

$40.06 $40.06

64.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 $14.75

$20.53 $20.53

-28.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.86 $13.86

$14.83 $14.83

-6.54%

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

$1,501 $1,501

$2,202 $2,202

-31.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$21.9K $21.9K

-4.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$49.34 $49.34

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 $44.41

$46.55 $46.55

-4.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 $90.8

$106 $106

-14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$94.3 $94.3

14.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,670 $1,670

15.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 $1,265

$1,416 $1,416

-10.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,776 $3,776

$3,096 $3,096

21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$2,209 $2,209

17.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,340 $7,340

$2,426 $2,426

202.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,231 $3,231

$1,804 $1,804

79.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,039 $5,039

$4,285 $4,285

17.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.2

3.87%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: September 5, 2026

Last update for Houston, TX: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,931 in Austin, TX and $1,670 in Houston, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $75.0 in Houston, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $419 vs $381 per month, with Houston, TX cheaper across the board.

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 Houston, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Houston, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $1,931 in Austin, TX versus $1,670 in Houston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,646 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,746 in Houston, TX – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 82% less than in Houston, 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,646 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Houston, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.