Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lubbock, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Lubbock, TX: $2,098 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 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
101

Cost of Living Index in Lubbock, TX
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Lubbock, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Lubbock, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,098

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Lubbock, TX

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 Lubbock, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,098 in Lubbock, TX.

Austin, TX $2,607
Lubbock, TX $2,098

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,055 in Lubbock, TX.

Austin, TX $4,031
Lubbock, TX $3,055

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,013 in Lubbock, TX.

Austin, TX $5,454
Lubbock, TX $4,013

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 24% more expensive than in Lubbock, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Lubbock, TX 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$15.04 $15.04

35.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$75.2 $75.2

12.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$12.19 $12.19

-0.57%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$7.37 $7.37

-23.34%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.40 $2.40

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.56 $1.56

51.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.05 $7.05

11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$8.68 $8.68

1.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.92 $0.92

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.45 $3.45

6.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.07 $4.07

-18.67%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.53 $3.53

17.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$22.54 $22.54

-42.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$11.03 $11.03

25.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$18.62 $18.62

-12.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.91 $4.91

-4.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.67 $1.67

-13.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.56 $3.56

43.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.45 $5.45

-17.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.06 $1.06

190.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.75 $2.75

-13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.41 $2.41

-25.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.65 $3.65

-39.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.09 $10.09

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$20.30 $20.30

-25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.71 $1.71

70.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.90 $4.90

-32.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.02 $1.02

19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$30.14 $30.14

34.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$4.66 $4.66

-64.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.94 $0.94

1.06%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$26.9K $26.9K

27.24%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.61%

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

$223 $223

$198 $198

12.50%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$85.6 $85.6

-31.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$72.8 $72.8

-2.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$21.26 $21.26

149.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.81 $12.81

9.76%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$657 $657

122.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$65.0 $65.0

-19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$74.4 $74.4

-42.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$65.2 $65.2

32.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,167 $1,167

81.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$781 $781

57.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,597 $1,597

141.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,141 $1,141

110.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,648 $1,648

350.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,332 $1,332

129.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,543 $3,543

46.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.43

6.07%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lubbock, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Lubbock, TX

$781 37.2% 36.5% $450

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Lubbock, TX

$450 21.5% 9.8% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Lubbock, TX

$357 17% 1.1% $4

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Lubbock, TX

$314 15% 9.9% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Lubbock, TX

$92 * 4.4% 28.3% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Lubbock, TX

$47 2.2% 42.2% $34

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Lubbock, TX

$57 * 2.7% 1.8% $1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,167 in Lubbock, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 46% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $75 in Lubbock, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $450, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Lubbock, TX

🕒 Local time

15:33 3:33 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

257,141

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Lubbock, TX 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Lubbock, TX

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 Lubbock, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lubbock, TX 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 Lubbock, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 46% 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 $1,167 in Lubbock, TX. 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 $2,098 in Lubbock, TX – Lubbock, TX is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Lubbock, TX runs roughly 26% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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

For families, Lubbock, TX is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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