Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Marathon

For one person, living is cheaper in Marathon: $2,218 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Marathon
Learn more

Marathon Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Marathon

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,218

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,218 in Marathon.

Austin, TX $2,698
Marathon $2,218

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,213 in Marathon.

Austin, TX $4,160
Marathon $3,213

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,209 in Marathon.

Austin, TX $5,622
Marathon $4,209

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 22% more expensive than in Marathon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Marathon 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$17.17 CA$24.27

20.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$66.1 CA$93.4

28.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.61 CA$15.00

13.76%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.65 CA$5.16

50.14%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.93 CA$2.72

96.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.60 CA$2.26

54.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.13 CA$7.25

56.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$5.57 CA$7.88

59.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.99 CA$2.81

-44.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.52 CA$3.56

47.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.27 CA$4.62

3.06%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.42 CA$4.83

26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$10.04 CA$14.19

30.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.16 CA$15.78

26.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.71 CA$20.80

11.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.85 CA$5.44

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.29 CA$1.82

13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.69 CA$5.21

27.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.77 CA$5.32

10.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.48 CA$3.51

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.13 CA$3.01

10.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.44 CA$3.45

-27.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.55 CA$2.19

38.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$14.15 CA$20.01

-28.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$12.51 CA$17.68

21.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.55 CA$3.60

10.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.01 CA$4.25

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.32 CA$3.28

-33.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$62.1 CA$87.8

-33.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.95 CA$4.18

-5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.41 CA$1.99

13.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$23.24 CA$32.86

47.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.13 CA$1.60

-16.81%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.6K CA$39.0K

23.06%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$19.1K CA$27.0K

40.05%

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

$223 $223

$132 CA$187

68.69%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$38.75 CA$54.8

52.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$54.5 CA$77.1

29.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$39.87 CA$56.4

44.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$17.63 CA$24.92

-6.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$11.17 CA$15.79

27.66%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$760 CA$1,074

98.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$12.8K CA$18.0K

63.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$53.5 CA$75.6

-4.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$37.54 CA$53.1

17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$84.0 CA$119

3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$103 CA$145

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,241 CA$1,754

56.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,114 CA$1,575

18.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,930 CA$2,728

89.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,701 CA$2,405

50.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$4,211 CA$5,953

74.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$3,537 CA$5,000

-11.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$1,720 CA$2,431

207.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.66

45.71%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Marathon: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Marathon

$1.1K 50.2% 15.4% $202

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Marathon

$346 15.6% 14.7% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Marathon

$225 10.2% 36% $127

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Marathon

$264 11.9% 24.6% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Marathon

$125 5.6% 3.2% $4.1

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Marathon

$62 2.8% 27.8% $24

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Marathon

$81 3.7% 40.5% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,241 in Marathon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 207% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $66.0 in Marathon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $346 per month, with Marathon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇦 Marathon

🕒 Local time

11:19 11:19 AM

12:19 12:19 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

3,300

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Marathon 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Marathon

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 Marathon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marathon wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Marathon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 207% 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 $1,241 in Marathon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,218 in Marathon – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Marathon runs roughly 51% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,218 in Marathon versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Marathon but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Marathon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Marathon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Marathon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.