Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and North Little Rock, AR Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and North Little Rock, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,659 in Austin, TX versus $2,589 in North Little Rock, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,101 in Austin, TX versus $3,740 in North Little Rock, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,542 in Austin, TX versus $4,890 in North Little Rock, AR.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 3% more expensive than North Little Rock, AR, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 98% above, North Little Rock, AR 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$18.97 $18.97

3.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$73.7 $73.7

1.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$11.11 $11.11

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$5.04 $5.04

12.50%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$2.50 $2.50

10.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.96 $1.96

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$6.17 $6.17

-5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$6.85 $6.85

13.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.05 $1.05

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.47 $3.47

-1.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.24 $4.24

-19.10%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$4.08 $4.08

7.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$12.09 $12.09

-1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$11.31 $11.31

-4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 $14.29

$15.23 $15.23

-6.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$4.93 $4.93

-1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.62 $1.62

-4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$4.36 $4.36

2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.78 $4.78

-18.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.89 $2.89

-5.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.83 $2.83

-3.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.19 $2.19

2.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 $8.93

$9.68 $9.68

-7.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$14.19 $14.19

4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.78 $1.78

32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.34 $3.34

6.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.94 $1.94

-24.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.55 $3.55

20.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.66 $1.66

10.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.54 $35.54

$28.87 $28.87

23.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.90 $0.90

-20.00%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$29.9K $29.9K

-14.10%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.1K $25.1K

4.01%

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

$174 $174

$188 $188

-7.74%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$52.1 $52.1

15.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 $66.3

$67.8 $67.8

-2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$43.28 $43.28

44.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$13.58 $13.58

12.22%

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

$1,387 $1,387

$1,296 $1,296

6.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$23.4K $23.4K

-5.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$50.4 $50.4

12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 $45.34

$39.91 $39.91

13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$87.7 $87.7

-1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$113 $113

5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,247 $2,247

$1,633 $1,633

37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$1,346 $1,346

6.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,778 $3,778

$2,581 $2,581

46.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,641 $2,641

$2,210 $2,210

19.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

$2,803 $2,803

151.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,162 $3,162

$2,439 $2,439

29.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,108 $5,108

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.51

-0.92%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Last update for North Little Rock, AR: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,247 in Austin, TX and $1,633 in North Little Rock, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Austin, TX vs $74.0 in North Little Rock, AR. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $385, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

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 Little Rock, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Little Rock, AR wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making North Little Rock, AR the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,989 in Austin, TX and $3,884 in North Little Rock, AR 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: $2,247 in Austin, TX versus $1,633 in North Little Rock, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,387 in Austin, TX versus $1,296 in North Little Rock, AR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in North Little Rock, AR – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $75.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. North Little Rock, AR is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but North Little Rock, AR delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,589 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes North Little Rock, AR hard to pass up.

Expats usually find North Little Rock, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.