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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,646 in Austin, TX versus $2,408 in Kansas City, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,220 in Austin, TX versus $3,540 in Kansas City, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,794 in Austin, TX versus $4,672 in Kansas City, MO.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kansas City, MO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Kansas City, MO 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$24.71 $24.71

-19.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$79.3 $79.3

5.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.27 $12.27

$12.58 $12.58

-2.46%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.91 $5.91

-4.74%

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

$3.59 $3.59

$3.21 $3.21

11.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.67 $2.67

-10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$7.14 $7.14

9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.10 $9.10

$7.58 $7.58

20.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.20 $1.20

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.36 $3.36

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.20 $5.20

-36.35%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$4.29 $4.29

3.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$14.41 $14.41

-9.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$9.73 $9.73

50.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 $17.42

$13.49 $13.49

29.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.47 $4.47

3.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.56 $1.56

-7.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.51 $4.51

5.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$5.52 $5.52

-10.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.07 $3.07

-1.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.44 $3.44

-20.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.33 $2.33

-16.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.18 $2.18

0.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 $9.26

$8.25 $8.25

12.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$15.49 $15.49

-3.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.93 $1.93

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.91 $3.91

-8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 $1.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 $41.90

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.55 $2.55

10.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.25 $1.25

27.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.68 $34.68

$60.9 $60.9

-43.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.92 $0.92

3.26%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$34.4K $34.4K

3.75%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$24.7K $24.7K

8.58%

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

$229 $229

$205 $205

11.60%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$64.4 $64.4

-9.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 $69.3

$72.1 $72.1

-3.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 $65.8

$44.61 $44.61

47.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 $14.75

$31.39 $31.39

-53.01%

Cinema Ticket

$13.86 $13.86

$15.20 $15.20

-8.82%

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

$1,501 $1,501

$1,151 $1,151

30.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$21.4K $21.4K

-2.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$59.7 $59.7

-10.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 $44.41

$42.85 $42.85

3.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 $90.8

$106 $106

-13.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$145 $145

-25.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,376 $1,376

40.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 $1,265

$1,063 $1,063

19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,776 $3,776

$2,751 $2,751

37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$1,747 $1,747

48.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,340 $7,340

$2,540 $2,540

188.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,231 $3,231

$1,889 $1,889

71.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,039 $5,039

$3,952 $3,952

27.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.12

5.23%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kansas City, MO: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,931 in Austin, TX and $1,376 in Kansas City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 28% 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: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $79.0 in Kansas City, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $419 vs $393 per month, with Kansas City, MO cheaper across the board.

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 Kansas City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kansas City, MO wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kansas City, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $1,931 in Austin, TX versus $1,376 in Kansas City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,501 in Austin, TX versus $1,151 in Kansas City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kansas City, MO – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $84.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Kansas City, MO is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kansas City, MO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,408 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kansas City, MO hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kansas City, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.