Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Monroe, MI: $2,218 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Monroe, MI
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Monroe, MI Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monroe, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,218

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Monroe, 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 Monroe, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,218 in Monroe, MI.

Austin, TX $2,607
Monroe, MI $2,218

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,096 in Monroe, MI.

Austin, TX $4,031
Monroe, MI $3,096

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,975 in Monroe, MI.

Austin, TX $5,454
Monroe, MI $3,975

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 18% more expensive than in Monroe, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Monroe, MI 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$12.04 $12.04

69.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$32.27 $32.27

162.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$8.36 $8.36

44.98%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.48 $3.48

62.36%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.47 $1.47

150.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.03 $1.03

129.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$3.97 $3.97

98.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$4.97 $4.97

77.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.78 $0.78

46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.80 $2.80

31.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.59 $4.59

-27.89%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.19 $2.19

89.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$11.17 $11.17

16.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$16.95 $16.95

-18.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$35.13 $35.13

-53.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.36 $3.36

39.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.58 $1.58

-8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.55 $6.55

-21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.61 $3.61

25.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.81 $5.81

-46.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$5.75 $5.75

-58.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.13 $2.13

-15.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.29 $8.29

20.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$18.62 $18.62

-19.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.30 $2.30

26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.98 $4.98

-33.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.97 $1.97

-38.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$56.8 $56.8

-28.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.16 $3.16

-12.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.04 $3.04

-45.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$10.16 $10.16

248.33%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

14.00%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.83%

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

$223 $223

$229 $229

-2.76%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$65.1 $65.1

-10.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$51.9 $51.9

37.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$41.45 $41.45

27.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$8.53 $8.53

64.83%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$645 $645

126.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$23.5K $23.5K

-9.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$55.2 $55.2

-4.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$50.6 $50.6

-15.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$81.3 $81.3

6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$118 $118

-12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,008 $1,008

109.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$910 $910

35.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,383 $1,383

179.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,287 $1,287

86.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,855 $1,855

300.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,818 $1,818

68.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$5,905 $5,905

-12.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.56

3.96%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Monroe, MI: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Monroe, MI

$910 41% 26.1% $321

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Monroe, MI

$480 21.6% 17.1% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Monroe, MI

$346 15.6% 1.8% $6.4

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Monroe, MI

$203 9.2% 41.7% $145

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Monroe, MI

$137 6.2% 7% $9

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Monroe, MI

$59 2.6% 27.9% $23

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Monroe, MI

$83 3.8% 47.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,008 in Monroe, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monroe, MI pays 14% 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 $32 in Monroe, MI. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $480, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Monroe, MI

🕒 Local time

02:06 2:06 AM

03:06 3:06 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

47,702

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Monroe, MI 1,820 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Monroe, 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 Monroe, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monroe, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Monroe, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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 $1,008 in Monroe, 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 $2,218 in Monroe, MI – Monroe, MI is about 15% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 29% less than in Monroe, MI. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Monroe, MI 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.