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: $2,732 in Austin, TX versus $2,362 in Kansas City, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,139 in Austin, TX versus $3,541 in Kansas City, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,545 in Austin, TX versus $4,720 in Kansas City, MO.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 16% more expensive than in Kansas City, MO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 105% above, Kansas City, MO 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.47 $19.47

$20.23 $20.23

-3.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$80.1 $80.1

-5.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 $9.89

$11.81 $11.81

-16.26%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.77 $4.77

15.09%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$2.30 $2.30

16.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.89 $1.89

12.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.88 $5.88

0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.94 $6.94

13.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.19 $1.19

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.50 $3.50

-4.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$5.10 $5.10

-31.76%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$3.66 $3.66

20.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.79 $11.79

$14.05 $14.05

-16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 $10.65

$10.68 $10.68

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$12.79 $12.79

15.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.49 $4.49

6.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.49 $1.49

5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.59 $6.59

-33.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$6.49 $6.49

-38.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.62 $3.62

-25.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.69 $3.69

-23.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.20 $2.20

-7.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.78 $2.78

-19.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.78 $8.78

$6.97 $6.97

25.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$15.45 $15.45

-2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.99 $1.99

14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$5.35 $5.35

-35.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.01 $2.01

-23.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.99 $43.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.45 $2.45

75.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.15 $2.15

-15.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.23 $35.23

$21.36 $21.36

64.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.81 $0.81

-9.88%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$36.4K $36.4K

-28.83%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.22%

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

$172 $172

$214 $214

-19.51%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$61.1 $61.1

-4.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$54.2 $54.2

22.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 $63.6

$57.5 $57.5

10.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 $10.15

$29.53 $29.53

-65.63%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$14.87 $14.87

1.21%

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

$1,399 $1,399

$1,388 $1,388

0.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K $22.0K

$28.9K $28.9K

-23.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 $56.6

$53.9 $53.9

5.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 $46.66

$42.46 $42.46

9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$103 $103

-16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$124 $124

-3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 $2,228

$1,336 $1,336

66.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,399 $1,399

$1,058 $1,058

32.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,821 $3,821

$2,365 $2,365

61.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,648 $2,648

$1,672 $1,672

58.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,237 $7,237

$2,545 $2,545

184.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,127 $3,127

$1,958 $1,958

59.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,009 $5,009

$3,869 $3,869

29.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.5

-0.77%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kansas City, MO: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,228 in Austin, TX and $1,336 in Kansas City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 29% 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: $75.0 in Austin, TX vs $80.0 in Kansas City, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $418 per month, with Austin, TX 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 16% 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 29% 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: $2,228 in Austin, TX versus $1,336 in Kansas City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,399 in Austin, TX versus $1,388 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 $80.0 versus $75.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,362 in Kansas City, MO versus $2,732 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kansas City, MO but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kansas City, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kansas City, MO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,362 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 16% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.