Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Little Rock, AR Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Little Rock, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,732 in Austin, TX versus $2,280 in Little Rock, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,139 in Austin, TX versus $3,157 in Little Rock, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,545 in Austin, TX versus $4,035 in Little Rock, AR.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 20% more expensive than in Little Rock, AR, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 105% above, Little Rock, AR 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.47 $19.47

$18.26 $18.26

6.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$60.3 $60.3

25.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 $9.89

$11.37 $11.37

-13.02%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.93 $4.93

11.36%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$2.72 $2.72

-1.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.46 $2.46

-13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.02 $5.02

17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.87 $5.87

34.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.07 $1.07

7.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.01 $3.01

15.61%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$3.08 $3.08

43.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.79 $11.79

$9.72 $9.72

21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 $10.65

$11.44 $11.44

-6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$16.92 $16.92

-12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.49 $4.49

6.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.45 $1.45

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.78 $2.78

57.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.83 $3.83

4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$4.20 $4.20

-35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.52 $2.52

12.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.99 $1.99

2.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.00 $2.00

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.78 $8.78

$8.55 $8.55

2.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$12.04 $12.04

24.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.70 $1.70

34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.24 $2.24

54.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.32 $1.32

15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.99 $43.99

$35.47 $35.47

24.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.56 $2.56

67.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.52 $1.52

19.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.23 $35.23

$24.14 $24.14

45.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.77 $0.77

-5.19%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$24.4K $24.4K

6.12%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.65%

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

$172 $172

$276 $276

-37.67%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$58.8 $58.8

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$70.1 $70.1

-5.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 $63.6

$52.3 $52.3

21.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 $10.15

$12.05 $12.05

-15.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$12.42 $12.42

21.18%

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

$1,399 $1,399

$1,015 $1,015

37.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K $22.0K

$18.9K $18.9K

16.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 $56.6

$54.5 $54.5

3.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 $46.66

$40.70 $40.70

14.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$103 $103

-16.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$116 $116

3.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 $2,228

$1,289 $1,289

72.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,399 $1,399

$952 $952

46.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,821 $3,821

$1,745 $1,745

119.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,648 $2,648

$1,246 $1,246

112.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,237 $7,237

$1,864 $1,864

288.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,127 $3,127

$1,323 $1,323

136.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,009 $5,009

$3,755 $3,755

33.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.58

-1.98%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: July 26, 2026

Last update for Little Rock, AR: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,228 in Austin, TX and $1,289 in Little Rock, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 33% 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: $75.0 in Austin, TX vs $60.0 in Little Rock, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $354 per month, with Little Rock, AR cheaper across the board.

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 Little Rock, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Little Rock, AR wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Little Rock, AR the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $2,228 in Austin, TX versus $1,289 in Little Rock, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,732 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,280 in Little Rock, AR – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Little Rock, AR runs roughly 24% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,280 in Little Rock, AR versus $2,732 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Little Rock, AR but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Little Rock, AR the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Little Rock, AR delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,280 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Little Rock, AR hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Little Rock, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.