Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Knoxville, TN Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Knoxville, TN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,701 in Austin, TX versus $2,607 in Knoxville, TN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,086 in Austin, TX versus $3,706 in Knoxville, TN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,470 in Austin, TX versus $4,804 in Knoxville, TN.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 4% more expensive than in Knoxville, TN, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Knoxville, TN 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$18.12 $18.12

10.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$84.8 $84.8

-12.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$9.89 $9.89

-0.40%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$5.96 $5.96

-2.85%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.57 $2.57

7.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.47 $2.47

-12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$6.66 $6.66

-10.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$6.24 $6.24

29.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.02 $1.02

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.77 $3.77

-13.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.79 $3.79

-11.08%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$3.71 $3.71

16.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$9.91 $9.91

21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$8.98 $8.98

17.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 $14.59

$15.83 $15.83

-7.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$6.34 $6.34

-20.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.41 $1.41

11.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.67 $2.67

64.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$5.33 $5.33

-23.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.16 $2.16

28.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$4.72 $4.72

-40.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.33 $2.33

-15.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.16 $2.16

3.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.75 $8.75

$9.01 $9.01

-2.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.17 $15.17

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.83 $1.83

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.81 $2.81

23.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.03 $1.03

47.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.74 $42.74

$29.57 $29.57

44.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.12 $5.12

-15.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.51 $1.51

19.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.23 $35.23

$30.20 $30.20

16.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.79 $0.79

1.27%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$30.0K $30.0K

-14.10%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.78%

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

$173 $173

$235 $235

-26.25%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$55.0 $55.0

6.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$69.1 $69.1

-2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 $61.8

$34.22 $34.22

80.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

$24.92 $24.92

-60.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$14.73 $14.73

0.48%

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

$1,414 $1,414

$1,134 $1,134

24.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K $22.1K

$20.5K $20.5K

8.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$55.8 $55.8

-1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.67 $46.67

$60.1 $60.1

-22.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$108 $108

-18.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

-0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 $2,200

$1,675 $1,675

31.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$1,311 $1,311

8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,769 $3,769

$3,273 $3,273

15.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 $2,704

$1,841 $1,841

46.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,334 $7,334

$4,765 $4,765

53.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,140 $3,140

$2,263 $2,263

38.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,093 $5,093

$3,541 $3,541

43.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.59

-2.12%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: July 20, 2026

Last update for Knoxville, TN: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,200 in Austin, TX and $1,675 in Knoxville, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 44% 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: $74.0 in Austin, TX vs $85.0 in Knoxville, TN. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $374, with Knoxville, TN cheaper for home cooking.

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 Knoxville, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Knoxville, TN wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Knoxville, TN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 44% 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: $2,200 in Austin, TX versus $1,675 in Knoxville, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,701 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,607 in Knoxville, TN – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Knoxville, TN runs roughly 45% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Knoxville, TN 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 Knoxville, TN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,607 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Knoxville, TN hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Knoxville, TN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.