Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lowell, MA

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Lowell, MA: $2,698 and $2,689 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
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Lowell, MA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Lowell, MA

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 Lowell, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,689 in Lowell, MA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Lowell, MA $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $4,243 in Lowell, MA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Lowell, MA $4,243

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $5,797 in Lowell, MA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Lowell, MA $5,797

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Lowell, MA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Lowell, MA 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$18.09 $18.09

14.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$69.0 $69.0

22.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$9.24 $9.24

30.63%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.90 $4.90

11.84%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.02 $2.02

88.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.65 $1.65

49.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.97 $4.97

61.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.21 $8.21

8.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.81 $0.81

37.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.13 $2.13

74.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.28 $5.28

-36.17%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.11 $4.11

5.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.15 $11.15

17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.94 $8.94

58.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$17.47 $17.47

-6.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.73 $2.73

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.22 $1.22

19.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$6.82 $6.82

-30.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.52 $5.52

-24.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.67 $1.67

54.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.43 $4.43

-46.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.01 $3.01

-41.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.20 $2.20

-2.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$13.78 $13.78

-26.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$13.42 $13.42

13.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.74 $1.74

62.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.19 $4.19

-17.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.81 $1.81

-14.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$55.2 $55.2

-25.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.04 $4.04

-30.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.75 $1.75

-8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$29.46 $29.46

16.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.84 $0.84

11.90%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

22.71%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.84%

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

$223 $223

$186 $186

19.76%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$51.6 $51.6

14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$66.9 $66.9

5.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$40.07 $40.07

44.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$12.45 $12.45

32.77%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$14.05 $14.05

1.49%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,410 $1,410

7.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$29.5K $29.5K

-29.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$57.8 $57.8

-11.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$37.86 $37.86

16.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$79.2 $79.2

9.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$70.2 $70.2

48.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,620 $1,620

19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,474 $1,474

-10.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$3,728 $3,728

-1.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$3,116 $3,116

-17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$3,460 $3,460

112.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$3,536 $3,536

-11.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,963 $3,963

33.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.1

11.31%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lowell, MA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8% 12% $157

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8% 8.9% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3% 13.5% $48

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7% 18% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1% 14.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5% 20.9% $18

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8% 29.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,620 in Lowell, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 33% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $69.0 in Lowell, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $370 per month, with Lowell, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🕒 Local time

03:08 3:08 AM

04:08 4:08 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

106,519

💱 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 Lowell, MA 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Lowell, MA

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 Lowell, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,620 in Lowell, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,410 in Lowell, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lowell, MA – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $85.0 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. Lowell, MA 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 Lowell, MA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Lowell, MA wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.