Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Milwaukee, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Milwaukee, WI: $2,307 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Austin, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Milwaukee, WI
Learn more

Milwaukee, WI Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Milwaukee, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,307

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Milwaukee, WI

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,307 in Milwaukee, WI.

Austin, TX $2,607
Milwaukee, WI $2,307

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,389 in Milwaukee, WI.

Austin, TX $4,031
Milwaukee, WI $3,389

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,471 in Milwaukee, WI.

Austin, TX $5,454
Milwaukee, WI $4,471

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 13% more expensive than in Milwaukee, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Milwaukee, WI 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.23 $20.23

0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$75.5 $75.5

12.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.95 $9.95

21.81%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$4.95 $4.95

14.14%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.81 $2.81

30.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.97 $1.97

19.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.11 $6.11

28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$6.85 $6.85

28.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.84 $0.84

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.47 $3.47

6.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.25 $5.25

-36.95%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$4.64 $4.64

-10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.00 $10.00

29.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$13.93 $13.93

-0.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$16.82 $16.82

-2.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.06 $5.06

-7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.51 $1.51

-3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.50 $4.50

13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.20 $5.20

-13.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.61 $2.61

18.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.55 $2.55

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.34 $2.34

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.27 $2.27

-2.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.75 $10.75

-7.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.42 $15.42

-2.40%

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

$3.37 $3.37

-1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.79 $2.79

-56.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$72.8 $72.8

-44.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.85 $2.85

-2.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.56 $1.56

5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$20.83 $20.83

69.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.99 $0.99

-4.04%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

-0.14%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.53%

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

$223 $223

$202 $202

10.52%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$67.3 $67.3

-13.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$70.7 $70.7

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$37.90 $37.90

39.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$18.66 $18.66

-10.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$14.33 $14.33

-1.88%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,813 $1,813

-19.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$23.8K $23.8K

-10.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$55.0 $55.0

-4.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$40.82 $40.82

4.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$92.5 $92.5

-6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$117 $117

-11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,608 $1,608

31.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$946 $946

30.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$3,400 $3,400

13.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,464 $1,464

64.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$3,028 $3,028

145.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,625 $1,625

88.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,671 $3,671

41.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.65

2.56%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Milwaukee, WI

$946 41% 23.1% $285

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Milwaukee, WI

$408 17.7% 0.4% $1.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Milwaukee, WI

$340 14.7% 3.7% $13

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Milwaukee, WI

$314 13.6% 9.7% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Milwaukee, WI

$137 6% 7% $9

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Milwaukee, WI

$67 2.9% 18% $15

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Milwaukee, WI

$95 4.1% 67.7% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,608 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 41% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $76 in Milwaukee, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $408 per month, with Milwaukee, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Milwaukee, WI

🕒 Local time

04:10 4:10 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

605,013

💱 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 Milwaukee, WI 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Milwaukee, WI

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 Milwaukee, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milwaukee, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Milwaukee, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,608 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,813 in Milwaukee, WI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Milwaukee, WI – a meal for two runs $76 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Milwaukee, WI 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.

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