Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Merrillville, IN Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Merrillville, IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,511 in Merrillville, IN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $3,646 in Merrillville, IN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $4,780 in Merrillville, IN.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 8% more expensive than Merrillville, IN, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Merrillville, IN 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$18.58 $18.58

7.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$65.0 $65.0

17.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$10.09 $10.09

0.40%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.10 $5.10

7.65%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$3.08 $3.08

-11.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.08 $5.08

19.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$6.97 $6.97

15.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.85 $0.85

28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.37 $3.37

-0.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$4.36 $4.36

-21.56%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.19 $4.19

3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$9.83 $9.83

20.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$12.56 $12.56

-14.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$15.04 $15.04

-3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$5.55 $5.55

-13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.16 $1.16

29.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.50 $4.50

0.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.95 $4.95

-18.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.18 $2.18

26.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.11 $2.11

32.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.92 $1.92

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.75 $2.75

-21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$10.58 $10.58

-12.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$11.85 $11.85

24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.83 $1.83

25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.54 $3.54

-0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.06 $2.06

-26.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.75 $2.75

56.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.15 $2.15

-15.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$20.63 $20.63

72.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.82 $0.82

-6.10%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$30.0K $30.0K

-14.55%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.51%

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

$172 $172

$181 $181

-4.96%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$47.24 $47.24

27.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$64.7 $64.7

3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$43.64 $43.64

44.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$14.87 $14.87

-0.94%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$1,789 $1,789

-21.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$23.7K $23.7K

-8.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$42.81 $42.81

28.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$44.59 $44.59

2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$81.1 $81.1

6.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$107 $107

8.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,633 $1,633

37.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$1,328 $1,328

5.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,672 $2,672

41.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,250 $2,250

20.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$2,878 $2,878

153.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,591 $2,591

28.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.55

-1.53%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for Merrillville, IN: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,633 in Merrillville, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $65 in Merrillville, IN. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $383, with Austin, TX 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 Merrillville, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merrillville, IN wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Merrillville, IN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,079 in Austin, TX and $3,767 in Merrillville, IN 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,633 in Merrillville, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $1,789 in Merrillville, IN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Merrillville, IN – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Merrillville, IN 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 Merrillville, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.