Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Oak Park, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Oak Park, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,695 in Austin, TX versus $2,536 in Oak Park, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,184 in Austin, TX versus $3,708 in Oak Park, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,674 in Austin, TX versus $4,879 in Oak Park, IL.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 6% more expensive than in Oak Park, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 96% above, Oak Park, IL 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.82 $19.82

$19.76 $19.76

0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$73.9 $73.9

13.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 $12.30

$11.39 $11.39

7.99%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.26 $5.26

4.18%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.61 $2.61

42.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.04 $2.04

15.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$5.88 $5.88

31.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.14 $9.14

$7.12 $7.12

28.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.00 $1.00

13.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.46 $3.46

8.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.27 $4.27

-19.67%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$4.34 $4.34

0.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$12.25 $12.25

7.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$11.74 $11.74

22.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 $17.20

$16.45 $16.45

4.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.86 $4.86

-7.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.68 $1.68

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$4.53 $4.53

3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.67 $4.67

6.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.77 $2.77

8.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.97 $2.97

-9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.09 $2.09

-11.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.29 $2.29

-4.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$9.85 $9.85

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$15.08 $15.08

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.92 $1.92

50.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.38 $3.38

3.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.95 $1.95

-15.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 $40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.92 $2.92

-3.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.78 $1.78

-11.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.18 $35.18

$30.55 $30.55

15.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.92 $0.92

-2.17%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$36.2K $36.2K

-0.79%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

9.85%

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

$222 $222

$201 $201

10.43%

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

$58.3 $58.3

0.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$68.1 $68.1

1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 $66.2

$41.88 $41.88

57.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 $14.76

Cinema Ticket

$13.78 $13.78

$13.76 $13.76

0.15%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$1,412 $1,412

8.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$23.4K $23.4K

-9.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$53.0 $53.0

3.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.01 $44.01

$40.69 $40.69

8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$88.7 $88.7

1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$115 $115

-5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 $1,942

$1,591 $1,591

22.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 $1,258

$1,301 $1,301

-3.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,762 $3,762

$2,548 $2,548

47.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,592 $2,592

$2,170 $2,170

19.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$2,780 $2,780

166.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,203 $3,203

$2,403 $2,403

33.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,085 $5,085

$5,749 $5,749

-11.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.12

5.23%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: August 31, 2026

Last update for Oak Park, IL: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,942 in Austin, TX and $1,591 in Oak Park, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oak Park, IL pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $74.0 in Oak Park, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $396 per month, with Oak Park, IL 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 Oak Park, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oak Park, IL 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 Oak Park, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Oak Park, IL. 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: $1,942 in Austin, TX versus $1,591 in Oak Park, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,526 in Austin, TX versus $1,412 in Oak Park, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Oak Park, IL – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $84.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Oak Park, IL 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 Oak Park, IL 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 Oak Park, IL 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.