Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Mount Pleasant, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Mount Pleasant, MI: $1,908 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
92

Cost of Living Index in Mount Pleasant, MI
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Mount Pleasant, MI Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Mount Pleasant, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,908

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,908 in Mount Pleasant, MI.

Austin, TX $2,698
Mount Pleasant, MI $1,908

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $2,746 in Mount Pleasant, MI.

Austin, TX $4,160
Mount Pleasant, MI $2,746

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $3,584 in Mount Pleasant, MI.

Austin, TX $5,622
Mount Pleasant, MI $3,584

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 41% more expensive than in Mount Pleasant, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Mount Pleasant, MI 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$18.10 $18.10

13.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$64.0 $64.0

32.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.90 $12.90

-6.43%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.11 $4.11

33.33%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.67 $1.67

127.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.92 $1.92

28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.93 $3.93

104.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$5.66 $5.66

56.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.70 $0.70

58.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.03 $3.03

22.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.21 $3.21

4.98%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$1.77 $1.77

144.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.98 $9.98

31.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.46 $11.46

23.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$15.11 $15.11

8.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.48 $3.48

30.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.56 $1.56

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.74 $2.74

71.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.64 $4.64

-10.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.49 $2.49

3.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.13 $3.13

-24.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.05 $2.05

-13.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.43 $0.43

397.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.44 $10.44

-3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$12.82 $12.82

18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.07 $3.07

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.48 $1.48

132.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.97 $1.97

-21.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$40.18 $40.18

2.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.93 $2.93

-4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.59 $1.59

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$23.85 $23.85

43.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.05 $1.05

-10.48%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$29.7K $29.7K

14.47%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.69%

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

$223 $223

$219 $219

1.87%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$59.5 $59.5

-1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$67.6 $67.6

4.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$19.96 $19.96

189.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$10.04 $10.04

42.03%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,354 $1,354

11.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$32.0K $32.0K

-34.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$58.5 $58.5

-12.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$41.93 $41.93

5.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$97.0 $97.0

-10.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$119 $119

-12.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$814 $814

138.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$721 $721

82.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,385 $1,385

164.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,040 $1,040

146.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,461 $1,461

403.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,481 $1,481

111.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$6,281 $6,281

-15.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.12

32.62%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Mount Pleasant, MI: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$721 37.8% 45.2% $595

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$322 16.9% 20.8% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$346 18.1% 1.8% $6.4

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$278 14.6% 20.5% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$142 7.5% 10.2% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$40 2.1% 53.6% $46

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$59 3.1% 1.8% $1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $814 in Mount Pleasant, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mount Pleasant, MI pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $64.0 in Mount Pleasant, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $322 per month, with Mount Pleasant, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Mount Pleasant, MI

🕒 Local time

04:33 4:33 AM

05:33 5:33 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

15,202

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Mount Pleasant, MI 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Mount Pleasant, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mount Pleasant, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Mount Pleasant, MI. 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $814 in Mount Pleasant, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,908 in Mount Pleasant, MI – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mount Pleasant, MI runs roughly 2% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,908 in Mount Pleasant, MI versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mount Pleasant, MI but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Pleasant, MI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Mount Pleasant, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.