Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lancaster, PA

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Lancaster, PA: $2,698 and $2,599 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Lancaster, PA
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Lancaster, PA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Lancaster, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Lancaster, PA

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 Lancaster, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,599 in Lancaster, PA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Lancaster, PA $2,599

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,784 in Lancaster, PA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Lancaster, PA $3,784

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,968 in Lancaster, PA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Lancaster, PA $4,968

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 4% more expensive than in Lancaster, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Lancaster, PA 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$22.42 $22.42

-7.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$66.1 $66.1

27.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.13 $12.13

-0.49%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.35 $5.35

2.43%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.39 $2.39

59.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.08 $2.08

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.87 $5.87

37.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.86 $6.86

29.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.12 $1.12

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.84 $2.84

30.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.94 $3.94

-14.47%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.55 $4.55

-5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$13.75 $13.75

-4.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$9.10 $9.10

55.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.60 $14.60

11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$10.16 $10.16

-55.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.90 $4.90

-3.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.99 $4.99

-16.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.15 $2.15

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.73 $2.73

-13.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.45 $2.45

-27.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.20 $2.20

-2.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$12.00 $12.00

-15.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$11.97 $11.97

26.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.63 $2.63

7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.15 $3.15

9.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.73 $1.73

-10.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$41.78 $41.78

-1.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.97 $4.97

-43.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.06 $3.06

-47.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$34.67 $34.67

-0.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.01 $1.01

-6.93%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$33.6K $33.6K

1.19%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.48%

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

$223 $223

$276 $276

-19.31%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$68.0 $68.0

-13.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$78.2 $78.2

-9.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$47.66 $47.66

21.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$45.60 $45.60

-63.75%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$16.75 $16.75

-14.87%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$566 $566

166.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$66.0K $66.0K

-68.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$59.7 $59.7

-14.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$49.15 $49.15

-10.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$95.0 $95.0

-8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$103 $103

1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,371 $1,371

41.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,148 $1,148

14.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,119 $2,119

72.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,875 $1,875

36.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,350 $2,350

212.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,102 $2,102

48.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,999 $3,999

32.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.26

8.47%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lancaster, PA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Lancaster, PA

$1.1K 44.2% 12.8% $168

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Lancaster, PA

$400 15.4% 1.5% $6.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Lancaster, PA

$422 16.2% 19.9% $70

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Lancaster, PA

$341 13.1% 2.6% $9.1

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Lancaster, PA

$138 5.3% 6.8% $8.8

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Lancaster, PA

$81 3.1% 5.9% $5.1

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Lancaster, PA

$69 2.7% 19% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,371 in Lancaster, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 32% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $66.0 in Lancaster, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $400 per month, with Lancaster, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Lancaster, PA

🕒 Local time

20:23 8:23 PM

21:23 9:23 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

59,322

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Lancaster, PA 2,220 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Lancaster, PA

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 Lancaster, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lancaster, PA 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 Lancaster, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 32% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,371 in Lancaster, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,599 in Lancaster, PA – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lancaster, PA runs roughly 2% 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 $2,500. Lancaster, PA 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Lancaster, PA 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 Lancaster, PA 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.