Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Midland, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Midland, MI: $1,873 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Midland, MI
Learn more

Midland, MI Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Midland, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,873

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Midland, MI

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $1,873 in Midland, MI.

Austin, TX $2,607
Midland, MI $1,873

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,699 in Midland, MI.

Austin, TX $4,031
Midland, MI $2,699

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,525 in Midland, MI.

Austin, TX $5,454
Midland, MI $3,525

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 39% more expensive than in Midland, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Midland, MI 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.13 $20.13

1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$50.7 $50.7

67.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.90 $9.90

22.42%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$4.98 $4.98

13.45%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.20 $2.20

67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.48 $1.48

59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$3.86 $3.86

103.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$4.93 $4.93

78.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.84 $0.84

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.59 $2.59

42.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.19 $2.19

51.14%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.30 $3.30

25.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$11.19 $11.19

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$7.65 $7.65

81.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$10.90 $10.90

49.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.35 $3.35

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.44 $1.44

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.35 $4.35

17.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.76 $3.76

20.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.58 $2.58

19.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.05 $2.05

16.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.02 $2.02

-10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.99 $0.99

124.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.02 $10.02

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.47 $13.47

11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.95 $1.95

49.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.05 $3.05

9.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.95 $1.95

-37.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$122 $122

-66.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.56 $2.56

8.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.53 $2.53

-34.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$39.32 $39.32

-9.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.96 $0.96

-1.04%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$31.2K $31.2K

9.72%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.32%

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

$223 $223

$181 $181

23.46%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$40.27 $40.27

45.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$49.30 $49.30

44.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$42.34 $42.34

25.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$31.69 $31.69

-47.14%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$11.95 $11.95

17.66%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,675 $1,675

-12.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$14.1K $14.1K

51.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$45.43 $45.43

15.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$39.85 $39.85

7.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$72.4 $72.4

19.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$78.5 $78.5

32.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$710 $710

197.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$694 $694

77.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,755 $1,755

120.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$986 $986

144.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,822 $1,822

307.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,823 $1,823

67.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$6,705 $6,705

-22.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.51

4.76%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Midland, MI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Midland, MI

$694 37.1% 43.6% $536

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Midland, MI

$297 15.9% 27.5% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Midland, MI

$270 14.4% 23.4% $82

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Midland, MI

$294 15.7% 15.4% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Midland, MI

$106 5.7% 17.3% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Midland, MI

$66 3.5% 18.4% $15

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Midland, MI

$145 7.7% 156% $88

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $710 in Midland, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Midland, MI pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $51 in Midland, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $297 per month, with Midland, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Midland, MI

🕒 Local time

04:02 4:02 AM

05:02 5:02 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

132,524

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Midland, MI 1,900 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Midland, MI

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 Midland, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Midland, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Midland, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Austin, TX. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $710 in Midland, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,873 in Midland, MI – Midland, MI is about 28% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 67% less than in Midland, MI. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Midland, MI gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.