Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and New City, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $4,580 in New City, NY, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
223

Cost of Living Index in New City, NY
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New City, NY Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

New City, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,580

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in New City, NY

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 City, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $4,580 in New City, NY.

Austin, TX $2,663
New City, NY $4,580

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $6,397 in New City, NY.

Austin, TX $4,133
New City, NY $6,397

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $8,214 in New City, NY.

Austin, TX $5,603
New City, NY $8,214

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 42% less than in New City, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, New City, NY 239% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$13.87 $13.87

49.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$85.5 $85.5

-1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.91 $10.91

12.92%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.56 $5.56

1.26%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.13 $2.13

74.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.53 $1.53

63.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.79 $7.79

3.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$8.16 $8.16

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.22 $1.22

-8.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.30 $4.30

-12.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$6.47 $6.47

-49.61%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$5.82 $5.82

-28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$12.33 $12.33

4.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$11.67 $11.67

21.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$17.33 $17.33

-6.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.34 $5.34

-18.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.28 $1.28

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.44 $6.44

-29.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.36 $6.36

-31.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.58 $5.58

-53.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.85 $3.85

-38.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.31 $2.31

-22.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.17 $1.17

89.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$11.51 $11.51

-14.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$9.83 $9.83

53.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.70 $1.70

71.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.38 $5.38

-35.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.81 $2.81

-46.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$127 $127

-67.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.92 $2.92

-6.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.00 $2.00

-17.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$23.86 $23.86

47.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.10 $1.10

-13.64%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$31.5K $31.5K

14.47%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

4.85%

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

$229 $229

$201 $201

13.97%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$75.3 $75.3

-21.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$64.9 $64.9

7.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$14.31 $14.31

-0.21%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,961 $1,961

-23.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$23.4K $23.4K

-8.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$41.04 $41.04

28.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$58.0 $58.0

-24.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$70.7 $70.7

19.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$151 $151

-31.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$3,074 $3,074

-37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$3,205 $3,205

-60.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$5,671 $5,671

-35.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$5,124 $5,124

-50.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$8,040 $8,040

-36.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.62

2.57%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for New City, NY: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

New City, NY

$3.2K 70% 152% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

New City, NY

$430 9.4% 6.3% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

New City, NY

$341 7.5% 4.8% $17

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

New City, NY

$280 6.1% 20.8% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

New City, NY

$144 3.2% 12.6% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

New City, NY

$29 * 0.6% 66.6% $57

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

New City, NY

$151 3.3% 158% $93

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 $1,907 in Austin, TX and $3,074 in New City, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New City, NY pays 57% 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 $86.0 in New City, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $430 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 New City, NY

🕒 Local time

19:16 7:16 PM

20:16 8:16 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

34,135

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX New City, NY 2,450 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
New City, NY

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 City, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in New City, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in New City, NY. 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $3,074 in New City, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $4,580 in New City, NY – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 205% less than in New City, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, 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 City, NY 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in New City, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.