Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Midland, TX: $2,065 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Midland, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,065

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,065 in Midland, TX.

Austin, TX $2,607
Midland, TX $2,065

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,941 in Midland, TX.

Austin, TX $4,031
Midland, TX $2,941

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,818 in Midland, TX.

Austin, TX $5,454
Midland, TX $3,818

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 26% more expensive than in Midland, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Midland, TX 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$16.09 $16.09

26.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$54.6 $54.6

55.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.03 $10.03

20.84%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.16 $5.16

9.50%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$4.65 $4.65

-20.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$4.19 $4.19

-43.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$9.89 $9.89

-20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$12.14 $12.14

-27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.77 $0.77

48.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.39 $3.39

8.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.49 $4.49

-26.28%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.98 $2.98

39.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.84 $10.84

19.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.12 $1.12

29.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.72 $1.72

4.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.04 $2.04

8.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.17 $11.17

-10.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.77 $14.77

1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.78 $1.78

63.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.26 $1.26

-3.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$37.28 $37.28

8.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.86 $0.86

10.47%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$26.9K $26.9K

27.11%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.05%

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

$223 $223

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

$58.5 $58.5

$53.9 $53.9

8.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

-0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$13.36 $13.36

297.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.37 $12.37

13.66%

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

$1,459 $1,459

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$79.1 $79.1

-33.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$30.36 $30.36

40.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$148 $148

-41.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$149 $149

-30.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,713 $1,713

23.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,166 $1,166

5.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,593 $2,593

48.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,784 $1,784

34.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,337 $2,337

217.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,863 $1,863

64.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$5,445 $5,445

-4.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.92

-1.45%

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, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Midland, TX

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Midland, TX

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Midland, TX

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Midland, TX

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Midland, TX

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Midland, TX

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Midland, TX

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,713 in Midland, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Midland, TX pays 5% 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 $55 in Midland, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $181 per month, with Midland, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Midland, TX

🕒 Local time

02:35 2:35 AM

Same time as 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

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Austin, TX Midland, TX 450 km

From you

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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, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Midland, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Midland, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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 $1,713 in Midland, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Midland, TX – a meal for two runs $55 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Midland, TX runs roughly 8% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Midland, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Expats usually find Midland, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.