Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Meridian, MS Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Meridian, MS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,701 in Austin, TX versus $2,698 in Meridian, MS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,086 in Austin, TX versus $4,001 in Meridian, MS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,470 in Austin, TX versus $5,305 in Meridian, MS.

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Meridian, MS; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Meridian, MS 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$26.38 $26.38

-24.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$123 $123

-39.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$12.19 $12.19

-19.20%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$5.36 $5.36

8.02%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.95 $1.95

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.13 $2.13

1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$5.93 $5.93

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$7.77 $7.77

4.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.94 $0.94

17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.99 $3.99

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.97 $1.97

71.07%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$3.86 $3.86

11.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$14.75 $14.75

-18.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$8.87 $8.87

19.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 $14.59

$14.45 $14.45

0.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.10 $3.10

62.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.13 $1.13

38.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.78 $2.78

57.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.32 $4.32

-5.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.96 $1.96

41.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.25 $3.25

-13.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.11 $2.11

-7.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.92 $2.92

-23.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.75 $8.75

$7.01 $7.01

24.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$16.91 $16.91

-13.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.09 $2.09

11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.58 $3.58

-3.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.03 $2.03

-25.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.74 $42.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.42 $3.42

26.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.46 $1.46

23.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.23 $35.23

$34.92 $34.92

0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.71 $0.71

12.68%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$34.4K $34.4K

-25.22%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$28.7K $28.7K

-6.35%

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

$173 $173

$237 $237

-26.80%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$58.4 $58.4

0.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$69.7 $69.7

-3.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 $61.8

$43.71 $43.71

41.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$13.14 $13.14

12.63%

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

$1,414 $1,414

$607 $607

132.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K $22.1K

$10.2K $10.2K

117.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$54.4 $54.4

0.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.67 $46.67

$41.21 $41.21

13.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$75.5 $75.5

16.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$115 $115

4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 $2,200

$1,579 $1,579

39.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$1,341 $1,341

6.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,769 $3,769

$2,676 $2,676

40.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 $2,704

$2,203 $2,203

22.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,334 $7,334

$2,342 $2,342

213.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,140 $3,140

$2,264 $2,264

38.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,093 $5,093

$4,141 $4,141

23.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.57

-1.83%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: July 20, 2026

Last update for Meridian, MS: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,200 in Austin, TX and $1,579 in Meridian, MS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 23% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74.0 in Austin, TX vs $123 in Meridian, MS. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $367, with Meridian, MS cheaper for home cooking.

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 Meridian, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 23% 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: $2,200 in Austin, TX versus $1,579 in Meridian, MS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Meridian, MS – a meal for two runs $123 versus $74.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Meridian, MS 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.

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