Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Katy, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Katy, TX: $2,451 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Katy, TX
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Katy, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Katy, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,451

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Katy, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $2,451 in Katy, TX.

Austin, TX $2,689
Katy, TX $2,451

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,581 in Katy, TX.

Austin, TX $4,112
Katy, TX $3,581

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $4,711 in Katy, TX.

Austin, TX $5,534
Katy, TX $4,711

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 10% more expensive than in Katy, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Katy, TX 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$16.88 $16.88

26.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$60.6 $60.6

45.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$8.85 $8.85

40.56%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$3.49 $3.49

60.46%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$1.98 $1.98

84.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.13 $2.13

12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$4.07 $4.07

92.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$5.53 $5.53

58.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.95 $0.95

17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.53 $3.53

2.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.06 $3.06

14.38%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$3.05 $3.05

45.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$13.08 $13.08

0.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$9.66 $9.66

44.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$16.72 $16.72

-1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.83 $3.83

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.24 $1.24

20.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.12 $3.12

48.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.25 $3.25

39.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.10 $2.10

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.49 $2.49

-4.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.78 $1.78

3.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.22 $1.22

74.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$9.68 $9.68

3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.75 $12.75

16.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.70 $1.70

65.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.58 $1.58

108.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.02 $2.02

-39.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$107 $107

-61.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.58 $1.58

3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$35.07 $35.07

0.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.85 $0.85

15.29%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$32.3K $32.3K

6.29%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.5K $24.5K

9.58%

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

$252 $252

$246 $246

2.67%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$58.9 $58.9

1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$70.7 $70.7

-1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$25.59 $25.59

135.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

$25.19 $25.19

-27.99%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$11.91 $11.91

15.45%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$1,009 $1,009

44.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$17.8K $17.8K

49.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$52.8 $52.8

-0.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$43.00 $43.00

6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$86.9 $86.9

-1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$109 $109

-3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,544 $1,544

42.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,186 $1,186

6.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$2,750 $2,750

45.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$2,026 $2,026

18.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$2,098 $2,098

251.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$1,542 $1,542

92.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$4,102 $4,102

22.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.41

6.40%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Katy, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Katy, TX

$1.2K 48.4% 6.5% $83

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Katy, TX

$332 13.6% 18.4% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Katy, TX

$375 15.3% 1.7% $6.5

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Katy, TX

$251 10.3% 29.4% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Katy, TX

$131 5.4% 0.7% $1

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Katy, TX

$49 2% 43.8% $38

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Katy, TX

$125 5.1% 119% $68

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $1,544 in Katy, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 23% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $61 in Katy, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $332 per month, with Katy, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Katy, TX

🕒 Local time

20:44 8:44 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

14,102

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Katy, TX 190 km

From you

Austin, TX
Katy, TX

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 Katy, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Katy, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Katy, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% 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 $1,544 in Katy, TX. 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 $2,451 in Katy, TX – Katy, TX is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 61% less than in Katy, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Katy, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Katy, TX wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.