Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Memphis, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Memphis, TN: $2,501 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Memphis, TN
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Memphis, TN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,501

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Memphis, TN

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,501 in Memphis, TN.

Austin, TX $2,663
Memphis, TN $2,501

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,673 in Memphis, TN.

Austin, TX $4,133
Memphis, TN $3,673

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,844 in Memphis, TN.

Austin, TX $5,603
Memphis, TN $4,844

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 6% more expensive than in Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Memphis, TN 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$17.99 $17.99

15.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$74.5 $74.5

13.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$12.16 $12.16

1.32%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.68 $5.68

-0.88%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.40 $2.40

55.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.99 $1.99

25.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.12 $7.12

13.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$8.03 $8.03

12.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.94 $0.94

19.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.15 $3.15

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.96 $3.96

-17.68%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.77 $3.77

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$13.18 $13.18

-2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$11.45 $11.45

23.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$18.84 $18.84

-13.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.67 $5.67

-23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.71 $1.71

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.71 $5.71

-21.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.98 $4.98

-12.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.14 $3.14

-17.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.17 $4.17

-43.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.64 $2.64

-32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.16 $2.16

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$10.87 $10.87

-9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.94 $12.94

16.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.76 $1.76

65.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.60 $1.60

116.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.02 $1.02

46.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$38.55 $38.55

8.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.02 $2.02

35.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.41 $1.41

17.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$20.36 $20.36

73.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.02 $1.02

-6.86%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$37.3K $37.3K

-3.48%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

-0.04%

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

$229 $229

$187 $187

22.36%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$86.3 $86.3

-31.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$75.8 $75.8

-7.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$31.47 $31.47

81.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$16.62 $16.62

-1.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$14.76 $14.76

-3.25%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,720 $1,720

-12.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$24.8K $24.8K

-13.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$47.08 $47.08

12.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$33.58 $33.58

30.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$82.2 $82.2

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$156 $156

-33.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,448 $1,448

31.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,175 $1,175

8.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,073 $2,073

76.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,900 $1,900

33.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,755 $1,755

333.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,351 $1,351

133.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,523 $3,523

45.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.6

2.88%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Memphis, TN

$1.2K 47% 7.8% $99

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Memphis, TN

$404 16.1% 0.2% $1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Memphis, TN

$349 14% 2.5% $9.1

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Memphis, TN

$318 12.7% 10.2% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Memphis, TN

$143 5.7% 12% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Memphis, TN

$61 2.4% 28.9% $25

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Memphis, TN

$52 2.1% 11.9% $7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,448 in Memphis, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 45% 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 $74.0 in Memphis, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $404 per month, with Memphis, TN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Memphis, TN

🕒 Local time

17:57 5:57 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

633,104

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Memphis, TN 900 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Memphis, TN

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 Memphis, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Memphis, TN wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Memphis, TN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,448 in Memphis, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,501 in Memphis, TN – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Memphis, TN runs roughly 8% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Memphis, TN 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.

Expats usually find Memphis, TN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.