Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and La Crosse, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in La Crosse, WI: $2,217 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in La Crosse, WI
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La Crosse, WI Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,217

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in La Crosse, WI

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 La Crosse, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,217 in La Crosse, WI.

Austin, TX $2,607
La Crosse, WI $2,217

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,376 in La Crosse, WI.

Austin, TX $4,031
La Crosse, WI $3,376

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,535 in La Crosse, WI.

Austin, TX $5,454
La Crosse, WI $4,535

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 18% more expensive than in La Crosse, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, La Crosse, WI 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$15.24 $15.24

33.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$69.5 $69.5

21.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.83 $10.83

11.91%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.77 $5.77

-2.08%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.10 $2.10

75.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.18 $1.18

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.42 $4.42

78.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$5.99 $5.99

47.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.73 $0.73

56.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.45 $2.45

50.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.58 $4.58

-27.73%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.48 $2.48

67.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.19 $10.19

27.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$11.09 $11.09

24.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$16.42 $16.42

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.93 $4.93

-4.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.11 $1.11

30.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.21 $3.21

59.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.22 $5.22

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.96 $1.96

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.35 $2.35

1.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.01 $2.01

-10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.72 $1.72

29.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.93 $9.93

0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.81 $10.81

39.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.84 $1.84

58.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.05 $2.05

62.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.99 $0.99

23.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$35.33 $35.33

14.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.52 $3.52

-21.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.82 $1.82

-9.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$45.84 $45.84

-22.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.91 $0.91

4.40%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$33.0K $33.0K

3.70%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.4K $24.4K

9.50%

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

$223 $223

$208 $208

7.25%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$54.6 $54.6

7.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$65.7 $65.7

8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$40.79 $40.79

30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$3.89 $3.89

330.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$11.96 $11.96

17.56%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$888 $888

64.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$63.3 $63.3

-17.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$63.6 $63.6

-32.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$77.5 $77.5

11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$118 $118

-11.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$774 $774

173.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,017 $1,017

20.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,196 $2,196

75.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,917 $1,917

25.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,972 $1,972

276.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,965 $1,965

55.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,185 $4,185

23.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.63

2.87%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for La Crosse, WI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

La Crosse, WI

$1K 45.9% 17.3% $213

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

La Crosse, WI

$340 15.3% 17.1% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

La Crosse, WI

$328 14.8% 6.9% $24

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

La Crosse, WI

$271 12.2% 22.2% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

La Crosse, WI

$145 6.5% 12.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

La Crosse, WI

$65 2.9% 20.3% $16

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

La Crosse, WI

$52 2.3% 8.1% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $774 in La Crosse, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 24% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $69 in La Crosse, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $340 per month, with La Crosse, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 La Crosse, WI

🕒 Local time

11:06 11:06 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

52,680

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX La Crosse, WI 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
La Crosse, WI

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 La Crosse, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Crosse, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making La Crosse, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $774 in La Crosse, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,217 in La Crosse, WI – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in La Crosse, WI runs roughly 13% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though La Crosse, WI gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 La Crosse, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.