Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Middletown, NJ

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Middletown, NJ: $2,689 and $2,647 a month, rent and utilities included.

Austin, TX, United States
Middletown, NJ, United States
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,689
/mo nomad
Middletown, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,647
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Middletown, NJ

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $2,647 in Middletown, NJ.

  • Austin, TX $2,689
  • Middletown, NJ $2,647

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,949 in Middletown, NJ.

  • Austin, TX $4,112
  • Middletown, NJ $3,949

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $5,251 in Middletown, NJ.

  • Austin, TX $5,534
  • Middletown, NJ $5,251

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Middletown, NJ 96% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.34 $21.34
$19.84 $19.84
7.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.9 $87.9
$104 $104
-15.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.44 $12.44
$12.20 $12.20
1.97%
Cappuccino
$5.60 $5.60
$5.52 $5.52
1.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.65 $3.65
$2.64 $2.64
38.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$2.35 $2.35
1.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.82 $7.82
$6.42 $6.42
21.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.75 $8.75
$9.05 $9.05
-3.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.32 $1.32
-15.15%
White Bread (500g)
$3.62 $3.62
$3.56 $3.56
1.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.50 $3.50
$5.39 $5.39
-35.06%
Eggs
$4.45 $4.45
$3.91 $3.91
13.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.18 $13.18
$13.20 $13.20
-0.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.94 $13.94
$6.71 $6.71
107.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.46 $16.46
$13.32 $13.32
23.57%
Apples (1kg)
$4.73 $4.73
$3.40 $3.40
39.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 $1.50
$1.56 $1.56
-3.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.64 $4.64
$2.68 $2.68
73.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$4.31 $4.31
4.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.62 $1.62
57.41%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 $2.39
$4.33 $4.33
-44.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.84 $1.84
$2.56 $2.56
-28.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.46 $2.46
-13.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.05 $10.05
$9.13 $9.13
10.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$20.15 $20.15
-26.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.80 $2.80
0.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 $3.29
$3.38 $3.38
-2.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.23 $1.23
$2.19 $2.19
-43.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.43 $41.43
$65.6 $65.6
-36.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 $2.68
$3.02 $3.02
-11.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 $1.63
$2.15 $2.15
-24.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.20 $35.20
$42.59 $42.59
-17.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.15 $1.15
-14.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K $34.4K
$31.3K $31.3K
9.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$25.5K $25.5K
5.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 $252
$224 $224
12.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.8 $59.8
$60.8 $60.8
-1.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.7 $69.7
$61.3 $61.3
13.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.4 $60.4
$36.02 $36.02
67.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.14 $18.14
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.75 $13.75
$19.85 $19.85
-30.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,458 $1,458
$3,074 $3,074
-52.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.6K $26.6K
$20.8K $20.8K
27.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6 $52.6
$70.4 $70.4
-25.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 $45.76
$76.1 $76.1
-39.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.5 $85.5
$121 $121
-29.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 $106
$122 $122
-13.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,195 $2,195
$1,553 $1,553
41.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,269 $1,269
$1,258 $1,258
0.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,000 $4,000
$2,518 $2,518
58.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,406 $2,406
$2,106 $2,106
14.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,381 $7,381
$2,933 $2,933
151.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,964 $2,964
$2,558 $2,558
15.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Middletown, NJ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,043 $5,043
$3,066 $3,066
64.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.78
0.59%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Middletown, NJ: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Middletown, NJ
$1.3K 0.8% $11
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$407
Middletown, NJ
$372 8.7% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$382
Middletown, NJ
$346 9.4% $36
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$356
Middletown, NJ
$332 6.8% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$130
Middletown, NJ
$175 34.6% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$88
Middletown, NJ
$76 13.8% $12
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Middletown, NJ
$88 54.3% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $1,553 in Middletown, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 64% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $104 in Middletown, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $407 vs $372, with Middletown, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Middletown, NJ
🕒 Local time
07:34 7:34 AM
08:34 8:34 AM
1 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
27,812
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Middletown, NJ 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Middletown, NJ

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 Middletown, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Middletown, NJ?
Average pay runs 64% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Middletown, NJ?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $1,553 in Middletown, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Middletown, NJ?
Childcare runs $1,458 in Austin, TX versus $3,074 in Middletown, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Middletown, NJ?
Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $88 versus $104 in Middletown, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Austin, TX or in Middletown, NJ?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Middletown, NJ gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Middletown, NJ?
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.
Should I move to Austin, TX or to Middletown, NJ?
It comes down to priorities – Middletown, NJ wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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