Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Jefferson City, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Jefferson City, MO: $1,853 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Jefferson City, MO
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Jefferson City, MO Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Jefferson City, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$1,853

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Jefferson City, 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 Jefferson City, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,853 in Jefferson City, MO.

Austin, TX $2,663
Jefferson City, MO $1,853

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,907 in Jefferson City, MO.

Austin, TX $4,133
Jefferson City, MO $2,907

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,962 in Jefferson City, MO.

Austin, TX $5,603
Jefferson City, MO $3,962

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 44% more expensive than in Jefferson City, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Jefferson City, MO 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$15.07 $15.07

37.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$40.75 $40.75

107.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.97 $9.97

23.57%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.34 $5.34

5.43%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.04 $2.04

82.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.21 $2.21

13.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.41 $5.41

48.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.67 $6.67

35.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.86 $0.86

30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.37 $3.37

11.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.43 $4.43

-26.41%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.18 $4.18

-0.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$4.52 $4.52

185.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.94 $9.94

42.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.34 $13.34

21.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.41 $4.41

-1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.57 $1.57

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.32 $4.32

4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.30 $4.30

0.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.06 $3.06

-15.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.31 $3.31

-29.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.40 $2.40

-25.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.94 $1.94

14.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$8.12 $8.12

21.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.34 $12.34

22.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.94 $1.94

50.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.86 $3.86

-10.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.05 $3.05

-51.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.56 $2.56

6.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.22 $1.22

36.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$61.1 $61.1

-42.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.85 $0.85

11.76%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.5K $35.5K

1.57%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

9.04%

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

$229 $229

$201 $201

14.04%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$66.5 $66.5

-10.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$70.4 $70.4

-0.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$15.16 $15.16

-5.80%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,192 $1,192

26.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$21.3K $21.3K

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$50.1 $50.1

5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$43.77 $43.77

0.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$104 $104

-18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$126 $126

-18.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$880 $880

116.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$705 $705

80.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,777 $1,777

106.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,597 $1,597

58.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,541 $1,541

394.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,732 $1,732

82.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,918 $1,918

166.92%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Jefferson City, MO

$705 38.1% 44.7% $569

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Jefferson City, MO

$341 18.4% 15.7% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Jefferson City, MO

$338 18.2% 5.8% $21

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Jefferson City, MO

$272 14.7% 23.1% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Jefferson City, MO

$146 7.9% 13.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Jefferson City, MO

$30 * 1.6% 64.6% $55

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Jefferson City, MO

$21 * 1.1% 64.5% $38

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 $1,907 in Austin, TX and $880 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 167% 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 $41.00 in Jefferson City, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $341 per month, with Jefferson City, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Jefferson City, MO

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

43,079

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Jefferson City, MO 1,050 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Jefferson City, 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 Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jefferson City, MO wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jefferson City, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 167% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $880 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $1,192 in Jefferson City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jefferson City, MO – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,853 in Jefferson City, MO versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Jefferson City, MO but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Jefferson City, 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 Jefferson City, 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 Jefferson City, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.