Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Murfreesboro, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Murfreesboro, TN: $2,343 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Murfreesboro, TN
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Murfreesboro, TN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Murfreesboro, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,343

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Murfreesboro, TN

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,343 in Murfreesboro, TN.

Austin, TX $2,607
Murfreesboro, TN $2,343

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,388 in Murfreesboro, TN.

Austin, TX $4,031
Murfreesboro, TN $3,388

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,434 in Murfreesboro, TN.

Austin, TX $5,454
Murfreesboro, TN $4,434

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 11% more expensive than in Murfreesboro, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Murfreesboro, TN 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$17.34 $17.34

17.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$74.7 $74.7

13.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.07 $10.07

20.36%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.52 $5.52

2.36%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.64 $2.64

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.55 $2.55

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$3.95 $3.95

99.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$6.09 $6.09

44.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.02 $1.02

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.98 $2.98

23.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.37 $3.37

-1.78%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$4.28 $4.28

-3.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.29 $10.29

26.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.50 $9.50

45.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$14.97 $14.97

9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.44 $6.44

-27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.12 $1.12

29.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.72 $2.72

87.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.63 $4.63

-2.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.99 $1.99

54.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.65 $2.65

-10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.12 $2.12

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.59 $1.59

39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.34 $9.34

6.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.84 $14.84

1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.77 $1.77

64.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.18 $3.18

4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.03 $1.03

18.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$45.03 $45.03

-9.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.95 $4.95

-43.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.52 $1.52

8.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$30.07 $30.07

17.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.88 $0.88

7.95%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$28.4K $28.4K

20.21%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

6.80%

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

$223 $223

$231 $231

-3.65%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$54.4 $54.4

7.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$54.4 $54.4

30.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$17.22 $17.22

208.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$30.46 $30.46

-45.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$14.75 $14.75

-4.68%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,242 $1,242

17.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$24.2K $24.2K

-11.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$49.44 $49.44

6.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$45.09 $45.09

-5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$88.9 $88.9

-2.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$126 $126

-17.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,164 $1,164

81.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,117 $1,117

10.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,206 $2,206

75.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,719 $1,719

40.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,748 $2,748

170.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,461 $2,461

24.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,221 $4,221

22.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.49

5.08%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Murfreesboro, TN: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Murfreesboro, TN

$1.1K 47.7% 9.3% $114

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Murfreesboro, TN

$351 15% 14.4% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Murfreesboro, TN

$340 14.5% 3.5% $12

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Murfreesboro, TN

$288 12.3% 17.3% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Murfreesboro, TN

$139 5.9% 8.2% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Murfreesboro, TN

$47 2% 42.4% $34

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Murfreesboro, TN

$62 2.6% 9.2% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,164 in Murfreesboro, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 23% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $75 in Murfreesboro, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $351 per month, with Murfreesboro, TN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Murfreesboro, TN

🕒 Local time

23:01 11:01 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

126,118

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Murfreesboro, TN 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Murfreesboro, TN

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 Murfreesboro, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Murfreesboro, TN wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Murfreesboro, TN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% 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 $1,164 in Murfreesboro, TN. 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 $2,343 in Murfreesboro, TN – Murfreesboro, TN is about 10% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 10% less than in Murfreesboro, TN. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Murfreesboro, TN 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.

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