Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Jackson, TN: $2,209 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Jackson, TN
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Jackson, TN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Jackson, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,209

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $2,209 in Jackson, TN.

Austin, TX $2,689
Jackson, TN $2,209

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,140 in Jackson, TN.

Austin, TX $4,112
Jackson, TN $3,140

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $4,071 in Jackson, TN.

Austin, TX $5,534
Jackson, TN $4,071

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 22% more expensive than in Jackson, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Jackson, TN 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$17.20 $17.20

24.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$49.11 $49.11

78.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$10.45 $10.45

19.04%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.07 $5.07

10.45%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$2.44 $2.44

49.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.83 $1.83

30.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.99 $3.99

95.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$4.90 $4.90

78.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.83 $0.83

34.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.15 $3.15

14.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.62 $2.62

33.59%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$4.31 $4.31

3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$9.44 $9.44

39.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$10.25 $10.25

36.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$15.01 $15.01

9.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.91 $3.91

20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.36 $1.36

10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.69 $2.69

72.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.07 $3.07

47.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.74 $1.74

46.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.27 $2.27

5.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.86 $1.86

-1.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.92 $1.92

10.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$8.26 $8.26

21.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.81 $12.81

16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.72 $1.72

63.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.02 $2.02

62.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.26 $1.26

-2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$34.36 $34.36

20.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.96 $1.96

36.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.25 $1.25

30.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$20.19 $20.19

74.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.90 $0.90

8.89%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$30.4K $30.4K

13.19%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

6.12%

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

$252 $252

$170 $170

48.81%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$65.6 $65.6

-8.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$72.6 $72.6

-4.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$50.6 $50.6

19.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

$50.8 $50.8

-64.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$11.21 $11.21

22.66%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$1,116 $1,116

30.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$14.7K $14.7K

80.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$50.5 $50.5

4.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$36.72 $36.72

24.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$64.4 $64.4

32.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$98.2 $98.2

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,206 $1,206

82.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,067 $1,067

18.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$1,630 $1,630

145.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$1,602 $1,602

50.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$1,719 $1,719

329.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$1,714 $1,714

72.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$4,206 $4,206

19.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.53

4.44%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Jackson, TN: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Jackson, TN

$1.1K 48.3% 15.9% $202

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Jackson, TN

$324 14.7% 20.4% $83

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Jackson, TN

$308 13.9% 19.4% $74

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Jackson, TN

$277 12.5% 22.3% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Jackson, TN

$112 5.1% 13.7% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Jackson, TN

$73 3.3% 16.9% $15

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Jackson, TN

$48 2.2% 16.7% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $1,206 in Jackson, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 20% 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: $88 in Austin, TX vs $49 in Jackson, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $324 per month, with Jackson, TN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Jackson, TN

🕒 Local time

05:49 5:49 AM

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

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Jackson, TN 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Jackson, TN

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, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jackson, TN wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Jackson, TN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $1,206 in Jackson, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,209 in Jackson, TN – Jackson, TN is about 18% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Jackson, TN runs roughly 17% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Jackson, TN gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Jackson, TN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.