Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Jonesboro, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Jonesboro, AR: $2,110 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 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
104

Cost of Living Index in Jonesboro, AR
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Jonesboro, AR Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Jonesboro, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,110

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Jonesboro, AR

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR.

Austin, TX $2,663
Jonesboro, AR $2,110

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,960 in Jonesboro, AR.

Austin, TX $4,133
Jonesboro, AR $2,960

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,809 in Jonesboro, AR.

Austin, TX $5,603
Jonesboro, AR $3,809

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 26% more expensive than in Jonesboro, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Jonesboro, AR 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$27.13 $27.13

-23.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$60.7 $60.7

39.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.45 $10.45

17.89%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.93 $4.93

14.20%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.21 $2.21

68.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.80 $1.80

38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.38 $4.38

83.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.65 $6.65

35.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.13 $1.13

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.36 $3.36

11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.14 $2.14

52.34%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.61 $3.61

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$8.87 $8.87

45.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$8.76 $8.76

61.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$11.54 $11.54

40.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.28 $4.28

1.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.08 $1.08

35.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.96 $2.96

52.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.86 $3.86

12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.71 $1.71

50.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.46 $2.46

-4.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.76 $1.76

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.00 $2.00

11.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$8.10 $8.10

21.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.55 $13.55

11.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.77 $1.77

64.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.73 $3.73

-7.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.13 $1.13

31.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$29.75 $29.75

40.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.04 $3.04

-10.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.45 $1.45

14.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$28.47 $28.47

23.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.84 $0.84

13.10%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$32.1K $32.1K

12.35%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

4.84%

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

$229 $229

$221 $221

3.82%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$45.73 $45.73

29.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$71.6 $71.6

-2.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$40.18 $40.18

42.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$10.90 $10.90

49.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$12.18 $12.18

17.24%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$763 $763

97.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$8,367 $8,367

156.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$63.4 $63.4

-16.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$36.22 $36.22

20.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$78.9 $78.9

7.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$107 $107

-3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,134 $1,134

68.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$860 $860

48.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,436 $1,436

155.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,140 $1,140

122.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,567 $1,567

385.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,557 $1,557

102.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,356 $3,356

52.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.36

6.76%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Jonesboro, AR: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Jonesboro, AR

$860 40.7% 32.5% $415

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Jonesboro, AR

$316 15% 21.8% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Jonesboro, AR

$338 16% 5.7% $20

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Jonesboro, AR

$359 17% 1.4% $4.8

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Jonesboro, AR

$129 6.1% 0.4% $0.6

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Jonesboro, AR

$65 3.1% 24.8% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Jonesboro, AR

$45 2.1% 24.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,134 in Jonesboro, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 53% 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 $61.0 in Jonesboro, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $316 per month, with Jonesboro, AR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Jonesboro, AR

🕒 Local time

04:17 4:17 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

78,576

💱 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 Jonesboro, AR 900 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Jonesboro, AR

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 Jonesboro, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jonesboro, AR wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jonesboro, AR the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 53% 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 $1,134 in Jonesboro, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jonesboro, AR runs roughly 40% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Jonesboro, AR but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Jonesboro, AR 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.

Expats usually find Jonesboro, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.