Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and New Braunfels, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in New Braunfels, TX: $2,550 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in New Braunfels, TX
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New Braunfels, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

New Braunfels, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,550 in New Braunfels, TX.

Austin, TX $2,698
New Braunfels, TX $2,550

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,633 in New Braunfels, TX.

Austin, TX $4,160
New Braunfels, TX $3,633

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,715 in New Braunfels, TX.

Austin, TX $5,622
New Braunfels, TX $4,715

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 6% more expensive than in New Braunfels, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, New Braunfels, TX 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$15.19 $15.19

35.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$66.6 $66.6

26.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.91 $11.91

1.34%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.47 $5.47

0.18%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.93 $2.93

29.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.72 $1.72

43.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.89 $4.89

64.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.06 $6.06

46.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.75 $0.75

48.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.17 $3.17

17.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.12 $2.12

58.96%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.78 $2.78

55.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$12.05 $12.05

8.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$9.29 $9.29

52.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$12.37 $12.37

32.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$6.32 $6.32

-28.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.18 $1.18

23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.37 $3.37

39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.63 $3.63

14.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.34 $2.34

10.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.87 $2.87

-18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.69 $1.69

26.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$6.63 $6.63

52.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$13.83 $13.83

9.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.76 $1.76

60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.94 $3.94

-12.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$155 $155

-73.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$10.08 $10.08

-72.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.85 $1.85

-13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$29.71 $29.71

15.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.87 $0.87

8.05%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.0K $27.0K

25.69%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.37%

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

$223 $223

$176 $176

26.63%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$39.57 $39.57

48.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$55.2 $55.2

27.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$32.66 $32.66

76.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$11.35 $11.35

25.64%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$756 $756

99.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$17.8K $17.8K

17.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$56.7 $56.7

-9.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$24.70 $24.70

78.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$84.4 $84.4

3.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$120 $120

-12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,609 $1,609

20.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,310 $1,310

0.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,331 $2,331

57.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,008 $2,008

27.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,919 $1,919

283.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,020 $2,020

54.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,323 $4,323

22.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.57

3.35%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for New Braunfels, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

New Braunfels, TX

$1.3K 51.4% 0.5% $6.1

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

New Braunfels, TX

$333 13.1% 17.9% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

New Braunfels, TX

$271 10.6% 23.1% $82

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

New Braunfels, TX

$278 10.9% 20.6% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

New Braunfels, TX

$128 5% 0.5% $0.6

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

New Braunfels, TX

$55 2.2% 35.8% $31

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

New Braunfels, TX

$174 * 6.8% 201% $116

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,609 in New Braunfels, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $67.0 in New Braunfels, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $333 per month, with New Braunfels, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 New Braunfels, TX

🕒 Local time

08:59 8:59 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

90,403

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX New Braunfels, TX 73 km

From you

Austin, TX
New Braunfels, TX

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 New Braunfels, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Braunfels, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making New Braunfels, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,609 in New Braunfels, TX. 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 $2,550 in New Braunfels, TX – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in New Braunfels, TX runs roughly 278% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. New Braunfels, TX 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and New Braunfels, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find New Braunfels, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.