Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, MO: $2,107 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in Independence, MO
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Independence, MO Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Independence, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,107 in Independence, MO.

Austin, TX $2,698
Independence, MO $2,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,070 in Independence, MO.

Austin, TX $4,160
Independence, MO $3,070

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,033 in Independence, MO.

Austin, TX $5,622
Independence, MO $4,033

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 28% more expensive than in Independence, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Independence, MO 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$20.09 $20.09

2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$77.2 $77.2

9.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.67 $12.67

-4.74%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.15 $5.15

6.41%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.73 $2.73

39.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.96 $1.96

26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.03 $7.03

14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$7.38 $7.38

20.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.10 $1.10

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.17 $3.17

17.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.40 $4.40

-23.41%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.27 $4.27

1.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.44 $11.44

14.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$9.61 $9.61

47.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$13.69 $13.69

19.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.51 $4.51

0.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.56 $1.56

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.41 $4.41

6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.18 $4.18

-0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.12 $3.12

-17.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.84 $2.84

-17.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.93 $1.93

-8.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.11 $2.11

1.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$7.96 $7.96

26.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$14.83 $14.83

2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.81 $1.81

55.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.97 $3.97

-13.35%

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

$2.49 $2.49

12.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.26 $1.26

26.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$25.39 $25.39

35.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.98 $0.98

-4.08%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$32.2K $32.2K

5.61%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.95%

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

$223 $223

$252 $252

-11.50%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$64.3 $64.3

-8.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$72.0 $72.0

-1.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$14.87 $14.87

-4.10%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$962 $962

57.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$19.4K $19.4K

7.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$58.8 $58.8

-12.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$39.72 $39.72

11.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$95.2 $95.2

-8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$123 $123

-15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,004 $1,004

93.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$843 $843

56.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,045 $2,045

79.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,303 $1,303

96.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,495 $1,495

392.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,516 $3,516

50.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.56

3.51%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Independence, MO: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Independence, MO

$843 40% 35.9% $473

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Independence, MO

$366 17.4% 9.8% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Independence, MO

$388 18.4% 10.1% $36

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Independence, MO

$329 15.6% 6% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Independence, MO

$143 6.8% 10.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Independence, MO

$30 * 1.4% 65.5% $56

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Independence, MO

$8.8 * 0.4% 84.9% $49

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 $1,004 in Independence, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 50% 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 $77.0 in Independence, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $366 per month, with Independence, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Independence, MO

🕒 Local time

21:42 9:42 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

117,213

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Independence, MO 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Independence, MO

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, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, MO wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Independence, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 50% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,004 in Independence, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $962 in Independence, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Independence, MO – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,107 in Independence, MO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Independence, MO but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Independence, MO 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Independence, MO 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 Independence, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.