Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Jackson, MS

For one person, living is cheaper in Jackson, MS: $2,025 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 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
98

Cost of Living Index in Jackson, MS
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Jackson, MS Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Jackson, MS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,025

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Jackson, MS

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,025 in Jackson, MS.

Austin, TX $2,607
Jackson, MS $2,025

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,848 in Jackson, MS.

Austin, TX $4,031
Jackson, MS $2,848

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,672 in Jackson, MS.

Austin, TX $5,454
Jackson, MS $3,672

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 29% more expensive than in Jackson, MS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Jackson, MS 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$17.53 $17.53

16.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$60.3 $60.3

40.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.55 $9.55

26.91%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$4.31 $4.31

31.09%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.64 $1.64

124.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.62 $1.62

45.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.06 $4.06

93.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$4.09 $4.09

115.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.91 $0.91

25.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.04 $3.04

21.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.99 $3.99

-17.04%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.78 $3.78

9.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$8.46 $8.46

53.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$11.14 $11.14

24.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$6.94 $6.94

135.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.69 $5.69

-17.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.10 $1.10

31.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$1.45 $1.45

252.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.93 $4.93

-8.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.09 $3.09

-0.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.01 $2.01

18.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.51 $1.51

19.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.32 $8.32

19.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.94 $12.94

16.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.78 $1.78

63.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.59 $1.59

109.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.48 $1.48

-17.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$42.81 $42.81

-5.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.06 $2.06

34.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.39 $1.39

18.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$18.85 $18.85

87.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.98 $0.98

-3.06%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.0K $27.0K

26.48%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.74%

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

$223 $223

$185 $185

20.85%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$54.9 $54.9

6.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$73.1 $73.1

-2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$48.45 $48.45

9.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$16.20 $16.20

3.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.96 $12.96

8.49%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$606 $606

140.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$24.5K $24.5K

-12.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$47.61 $47.61

10.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$22.65 $22.65

88.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$83.8 $83.8

3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$114 $114

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,005 $1,005

110.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$875 $875

40.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,049 $2,049

88.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,189 $1,189

102.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,373 $1,373

440.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,121 $1,121

172.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$2,840 $2,840

82.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.18

10.36%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jackson, MS: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Jackson, MS

$875 43.2% 28.9% $355

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Jackson, MS

$322 15.9% 21.4% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Jackson, MS

$312 15.4% 11.4% $40

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Jackson, MS

$262 12.9% 24.7% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Jackson, MS

$121 6% 6% $7.6

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Jackson, MS

$74 3.7% 8.4% $6.8

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Jackson, MS

$58 2.9% 2.3% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,005 in Jackson, MS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 82% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $60 in Jackson, MS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $322 per month, with Jackson, MS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Jackson, MS

🕒 Local time

15:00 3:00 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

153,701

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Austin, TX Jackson, MS 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Jackson, MS

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 Jackson, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jackson, MS wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Jackson, MS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 82% 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 $1,005 in Jackson, MS. 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 $2,025 in Jackson, MS – Jackson, MS is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 5% less than in Jackson, MS. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Jackson, MS 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.

It comes down to priorities – Jackson, MS wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.