Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Macon, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Macon, GA: $2,316 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 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
112

Cost of Living Index in Macon, GA
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Macon, GA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Macon, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,316

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Macon, GA

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 Macon, GA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,316 in Macon, GA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Macon, GA $2,316

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,218 in Macon, GA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Macon, GA $3,218

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,121 in Macon, GA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Macon, GA $4,121

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 13% more expensive than in Macon, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Macon, GA 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$19.60 $19.60

3.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$60.5 $60.5

40.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.10 $10.10

20.00%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.13 $5.13

10.14%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.54 $2.54

44.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.62 $1.62

45.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.09 $5.09

54.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$5.93 $5.93

48.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.78 $0.78

46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.78 $2.78

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.14 $3.14

5.41%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.43 $2.43

70.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$5.59 $5.59

132.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.63 $9.63

43.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$11.62 $11.62

40.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.45 $3.45

35.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.30 $1.30

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.14 $2.14

138.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.68 $3.68

22.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.23 $3.23

-4.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.08 $3.08

-22.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.20 $2.20

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.65 $1.65

34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.71 $8.71

14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.79 $12.79

17.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.13 $2.13

36.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.45 $3.45

-3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.26 $1.26

-3.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$49.79 $49.79

-18.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.92 $4.92

-43.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$4.91 $4.91

-66.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$50.6 $50.6

-30.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.91 $0.91

4.40%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$28.1K $28.1K

21.64%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.0K $27.0K

-0.70%

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

$223 $223

$120 $120

86.30%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$66.5 $66.5

-12.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$84.4 $84.4

-15.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$13.46 $13.46

4.46%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$933 $933

56.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$18.3K $18.3K

16.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$65.7 $65.7

-20.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$34.58 $34.58

23.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$129 $129

-32.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$133 $133

-21.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,314 $1,314

60.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,171 $1,171

5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,861 $1,861

107.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,607 $1,607

49.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,354 $1,354

448.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,351 $1,351

126.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,366 $3,366

53.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.57

3.81%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Macon, GA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Macon, GA

$1.2K 50.6% 4.8% $60

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Macon, GA

$297 12.8% 27.5% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Macon, GA

$271 11.7% 23.3% $82

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Macon, GA

$303 13.1% 13.1% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Macon, GA

$163 7% 26.9% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Macon, GA

$27 * 1.2% 66.8% $54

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Macon, GA

$84 3.6% 49.4% $28

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 $1,314 in Macon, GA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 54% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $60 in Macon, GA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $297 per month, with Macon, GA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Macon, GA

🕒 Local time

13:18 1:18 PM

14:18 2:18 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

152,663

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Macon, GA 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Macon, GA

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 Macon, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macon, GA wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Macon, GA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 54% 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 $1,314 in Macon, GA. 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 $2,316 in Macon, GA – Macon, GA is about 11% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 19% less than in Macon, GA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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

For families, Macon, GA 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 – Macon, GA wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.