Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and North East, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and North East, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,699 in North East, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $4,004 in North East, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $5,309 in North East, MD.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 1% more expensive than North East, MD, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, North East, MD 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$24.23 $24.23

-17.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$90.2 $90.2

-15.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$11.04 $11.04

-8.24%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.39 $5.39

1.86%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.95 $2.95

-7.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.64 $2.64

-18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$7.87 $7.87

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$9.23 $9.23

-12.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.23 $1.23

-11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.87 $3.87

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$6.79 $6.79

-49.63%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.10 $4.10

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$19.04 $19.04

-38.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$15.13 $15.13

-29.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$25.41 $25.41

-42.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$6.64 $6.64

-27.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.78 $1.78

-15.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.35 $5.35

-15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$5.87 $5.87

-31.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.28 $4.28

-35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.22 $3.22

-13.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.27 $2.27

-10.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.87 $2.87

-25.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$12.22 $12.22

-24.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$17.19 $17.19

-13.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.96 $1.96

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.29 $3.29

7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.05 $2.05

-25.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.78 $2.78

54.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.41 $1.41

29.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$24.81 $24.81

43.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.88 $0.88

-12.50%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$31.2K $31.2K

-17.80%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.5K $25.5K

3.10%

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

$172 $172

$128 $128

34.56%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$44.33 $44.33

36.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$71.3 $71.3

-5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$43.61 $43.61

44.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$14.89 $14.89

-1.07%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$1,939 $1,939

-27.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$36.7K $36.7K

-40.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$56.9 $56.9

-3.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$53.9 $53.9

-15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$93.5 $93.5

-7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$118 $118

-2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,587 $1,587

41.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$1,329 $1,329

5.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,591 $2,591

45.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,220 $2,220

21.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$3,030 $3,030

141.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,268 $2,268

46.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.55

-1.53%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for North East, MD: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,587 in North East, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $90 in North East, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $512 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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 North East, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North East, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making North East, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,079 in Austin, TX and $4,049 in North East, MD to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,587 in North East, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $1,939 in North East, MD. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in North East, MD – a meal for two runs $90.0 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. North East, MD 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.

Expats usually find North East, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.