Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Normal, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Normal, IL: $2,272 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 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
110

Cost of Living Index in Normal, IL
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Normal, IL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Normal, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,272

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Normal, IL

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 Normal, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,272 in Normal, IL.

Austin, TX $2,607
Normal, IL $2,272

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,329 in Normal, IL.

Austin, TX $4,031
Normal, IL $3,329

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,386 in Normal, IL.

Austin, TX $5,454
Normal, IL $4,386

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 15% more expensive than in Normal, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Normal, IL 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$11.32 $11.32

79.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$49.63 $49.63

70.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.83 $9.83

23.30%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.02 $5.02

12.55%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.42 $3.42

7.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.51 $1.51

56.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.08 $5.08

54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$5.83 $5.83

51.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.74 $0.74

54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.62 $2.62

40.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.29 $3.29

0.61%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.76 $3.76

10.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$8.90 $8.90

45.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$12.75 $12.75

8.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$18.79 $18.79

-13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.64 $6.64

-29.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.23 $1.23

17.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.66 $6.66

-23.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.03 $5.03

-10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.25 $3.25

-5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.21 $3.21

-25.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.99 $1.99

-9.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.30 $2.30

-3.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.32 $11.32

-11.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.99 $10.99

36.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.91 $1.91

52.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.03 $3.03

9.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.53 $2.53

-51.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$91.1 $91.1

-55.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$5.57 $5.57

-50.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.03 $1.03

60.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$18.02 $18.02

96.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.89 $0.89

6.74%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.9K $27.9K

22.71%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.44%

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

$223 $223

$273 $273

-18.33%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$97.9 $97.9

-40.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$64.6 $64.6

10.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$39.33 $39.33

34.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$11.76 $11.76

19.56%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,061 $1,061

37.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$29.92 $29.92

75.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$40.57 $40.57

5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$66.5 $66.5

29.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$150 $150

-30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$974 $974

116.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$905 $905

35.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,800 $1,800

114.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,587 $1,587

51.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$9,690 $9,690

-23.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,164 $4,164

24.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.55

4.12%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Normal, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Normal, IL

$905 39.8% 26.5% $326

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Normal, IL

$390 17.2% 4.8% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Normal, IL

$436 19.2% 23.5% $83

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Normal, IL

$237 10.4% 31.9% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Normal, IL

$129 5.7% 0.6% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Normal, IL

$63 2.8% 22.5% $18

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Normal, IL

$112 4.9% 98.4% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $974 in Normal, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 24% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $50 in Normal, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $390 per month, with Normal, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Normal, IL

🕒 Local time

19:20 7:20 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

52,497

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Normal, IL 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Normal, IL

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 Normal, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Normal, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Normal, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% 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 $974 in Normal, IL. 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 $2,272 in Normal, IL – Normal, IL is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 56% less than in Normal, IL. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Normal, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Normal, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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