Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Independence, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, KS: $2,034 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Independence, KS
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Independence, KS Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Independence, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,034

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Independence, KS

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 Independence, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $2,034 in Independence, KS.

Austin, TX $2,689
Independence, KS $2,034

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,012 in Independence, KS.

Austin, TX $4,112
Independence, KS $3,012

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $3,990 in Independence, KS.

Austin, TX $5,534
Independence, KS $3,990

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 32% more expensive than in Independence, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Independence, KS 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$19.98 $19.98

6.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$74.8 $74.8

17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$11.47 $11.47

8.46%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.41 $5.41

3.51%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$2.71 $2.71

34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.02 $2.02

18.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$5.83 $5.83

34.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$7.34 $7.34

19.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.01 $1.01

10.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.60 $3.60

0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.02 $4.02

-12.94%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$4.05 $4.05

9.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$12.21 $12.21

7.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$12.46 $12.46

11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$17.26 $17.26

-4.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$5.16 $5.16

-8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.59 $1.59

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.49 $4.49

3.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.22 $4.22

7.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.70 $2.70

-5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.82 $2.82

-15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.11 $2.11

-12.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.30 $2.30

-7.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$10.27 $10.27

-2.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.08 $15.08

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.00 $2.00

41.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.53 $3.53

-6.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.24 $2.24

-45.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$64.7 $64.7

-35.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.19 $3.19

-15.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.96 $1.96

-16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$30.80 $30.80

14.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.00 $1.00

-2.00%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$28.4K $28.4K

21.04%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

2.12%

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

$252 $252

$201 $201

25.40%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$57.3 $57.3

4.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$69.1 $69.1

0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$39.52 $39.52

52.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$13.95 $13.95

-1.43%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$1,389 $1,389

5.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$21.2K $21.2K

25.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$53.6 $53.6

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$44.07 $44.07

3.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$89.9 $89.9

-4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$112 $112

-5.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,591 $1,591

37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$695 $695

82.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$2,539 $2,539

57.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$1,051 $1,051

129.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$2,430 $2,430

203.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$2,663 $2,663

11.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$5,237 $5,237

-3.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.59

3.49%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Independence, KS: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Independence, KS

$695 34.2% 45.2% $574

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Independence, KS

$401 19.7% 1.7% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Independence, KS

$328 16.1% 14.2% $54

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Independence, KS

$322 15.8% 9.6% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Independence, KS

$135 6.6% 3.5% $4.5

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Independence, KS

$67 3.3% 23.3% $20

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Independence, KS

$87 4.3% 51.5% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $1,591 in Independence, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Independence, KS pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $75 in Independence, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $401 per month, with Independence, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Independence, KS

🕒 Local time

07:34 7:34 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

117,213

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Independence, KS 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Independence, KS

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 Independence, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Independence, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $1,591 in Independence, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,458 in Austin, TX versus $1,389 in Independence, KS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Independence, KS – a meal for two runs $75 versus $88 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Independence, KS 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.