Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lufkin, TX: $2,251 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX, United States
Lufkin, TX, United States
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Lufkin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,251
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Lufkin, 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 Lufkin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,251 in Lufkin, TX.

  • Austin, TX $2,607
  • Lufkin, TX $2,251

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,631 in Lufkin, TX.

  • Austin, TX $4,031
  • Lufkin, TX $3,631

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,011 in Lufkin, TX.

  • Austin, TX $5,454
  • Lufkin, TX $5,011

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 16% more expensive than in Lufkin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Lufkin, TX 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.35 $20.35
$20.07 $20.07
1.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.7 $84.7
$77.6 $77.6
9.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.12 $12.12
$9.94 $9.94
21.93%
Cappuccino
$5.65 $5.65
$5.49 $5.49
2.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 $3.68
$2.66 $2.66
38.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.33 $2.33
1.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.87 $7.87
$6.99 $6.99
12.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.82 $8.82
$7.51 $7.51
17.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.00 $1.00
14.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.69 $3.69
$3.11 $3.11
18.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$3.97 $3.97
-16.62%
Eggs
$4.15 $4.15
$5.80 $5.80
-28.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.98 $12.98
$22.97 $22.97
-43.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.86 $13.86
$11.84 $11.84
17.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.34 $16.34
$19.63 $19.63
-16.76%
Apples (1kg)
$4.69 $4.69
$4.60 $4.60
1.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.56 $1.56
-7.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.11 $5.11
$2.74 $2.74
86.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$3.04 $3.04
48.68%
Potato (1kg)
$3.08 $3.08
$2.77 $2.77
11.19%
Onion (1kg)
$2.38 $2.38
$2.51 $2.51
-5.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.94 $1.94
-7.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.96 $2.96
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.97 $9.97
$10.10 $10.10
-1.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.05 $15.05
$20.13 $20.13
-25.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.91 $2.91
$1.69 $1.69
72.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 $3.33
$3.32 $3.32
0.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 $1.22
$1.84 $1.84
-33.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.53 $40.53
$58.7 $58.7
-30.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.78 $2.78
$3.03 $3.03
-8.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.92 $1.92
-14.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.39 $35.39
$27.47 $27.47
28.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$0.92 $0.92
3.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K $34.2K
$27.5K $27.5K
24.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$26.7K $26.7K
0.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$202 $202
10.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.5 $58.5
$47.10 $47.10
24.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.2 $71.2
$56.1 $56.1
26.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.0 $53.0
$37.91 $37.91
39.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.75 $16.75
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.06 $14.06
$14.96 $14.96
-6.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,459 $1,459
$1,167 $1,167
25.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.3K $21.3K
$26.7K $26.7K
-20.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.5 $52.5
$60.6 $60.6
-13.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.75 $42.75
$38.64 $38.64
10.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.4 $86.4
$84.7 $84.7
2.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$66.4 $66.4
56.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,112 $2,112
$1,152 $1,152
83.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 $1,230
$923 $923
33.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,863 $3,863
$2,553 $2,553
51.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,407 $2,407
$2,066 $2,066
16.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,426 $7,426
$3,093 $3,093
140.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,060 $3,060
$2,079 $2,079
47.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Lufkin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,179 $5,179
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.51
4.76%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lufkin, TX: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.2K
Lufkin, TX
$923 25% $307
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$410
Lufkin, TX
$438 6.8% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$353
Lufkin, TX
$305 13.5% $48
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Lufkin, TX
$326 6.3% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Lufkin, TX
$113 12.3% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$81
Lufkin, TX
$68 16.4% $13
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$56
Lufkin, TX
$79 39.2% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,152 in Lufkin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $78 in Lufkin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $438, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Lufkin, TX
🕒 Local time
17:55 5:55 PM
17:55 5:55 PM
Same time as Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
36,085
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Lufkin, TX 310 km
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Lufkin, 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 Lufkin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Lufkin, TX?
Lufkin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lufkin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Lufkin, TX?
You’d need roughly $3,911 in Austin, TX and $3,377 in Lufkin, TX 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Lufkin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,152 in Lufkin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Lufkin, TX?
All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,251 in Lufkin, TX – Lufkin, TX is about 14% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Lufkin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 31% less than in Lufkin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Lufkin, TX?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lufkin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Lufkin, TX?
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.

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