Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lafayette, CO Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lafayette, CO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,576 in Lafayette, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $3,744 in Lafayette, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $4,911 in Lafayette, CO.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 6% more expensive than Lafayette, CO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Lafayette, CO 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$19.01 $19.01

5.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$73.8 $73.8

3.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$11.07 $11.07

-8.49%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.99 $4.99

10.02%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.50 $2.50

8.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.97 $1.97

8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$6.08 $6.08

-0.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.13 $7.13

12.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.00 $1.00

9.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.57 $3.57

-6.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$4.32 $4.32

-20.83%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.23 $4.23

2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$12.50 $12.50

-5.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$11.71 $11.71

-8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$15.50 $15.50

-6.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.85 $4.85

-1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.58 $1.58

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.21 $4.21

7.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.63 $4.63

-12.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.86 $2.86

-3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.81 $2.81

-0.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.03 $2.03

0.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.11 $2.11

1.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$9.71 $9.71

-4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$16.22 $16.22

-8.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.86 $1.86

23.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.38 $3.38

4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.05 $2.05

-25.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.58 $3.58

19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.59 $1.59

14.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$29.69 $29.69

19.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.86 $0.86

-10.47%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$29.2K $29.2K

-12.28%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.83%

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

$172 $172

$186 $186

-7.59%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$52.1 $52.1

15.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$66.9 $66.9

0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$43.84 $43.84

43.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$13.29 $13.29

10.84%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$1,306 $1,306

7.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$23.7K $23.7K

-7.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$52.1 $52.1

5.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$40.16 $40.16

13.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$87.5 $87.5

-0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$113 $113

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,606 $1,606

39.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$1,380 $1,380

1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,607 $2,607

45.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,242 $2,242

20.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$2,427 $2,427

200.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,134 $2,134

56.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.51

-0.92%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lafayette, CO: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,606 in Lafayette, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $74 in Lafayette, CO. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $392, with Austin, TX 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 Lafayette, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lafayette, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lafayette, CO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,079 in Austin, TX and $3,865 in Lafayette, CO to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,606 in Lafayette, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $1,306 in Lafayette, CO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lafayette, CO – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Lafayette, CO 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 Lafayette, CO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,576 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lafayette, CO hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Lafayette, CO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lafayette, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.