Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Plainfield, IL: $2,698 and $2,583 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Plainfield, IL
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Plainfield, IL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Plainfield, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,583

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Plainfield, 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 Plainfield, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,583 in Plainfield, IL.

Austin, TX $2,698
Plainfield, IL $2,583

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,616 in Plainfield, IL.

Austin, TX $4,160
Plainfield, IL $3,616

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,650 in Plainfield, IL.

Austin, TX $5,622
Plainfield, IL $4,650

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 4% more expensive than in Plainfield, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Plainfield, IL 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$15.02 $15.02

37.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$75.6 $75.6

11.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.15 $12.15

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.30 $5.30

3.40%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.72 $2.72

39.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.29 $2.29

7.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.88 $5.88

36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$7.96 $7.96

11.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.77 $0.77

44.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.77 $2.77

34.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.13 $3.13

7.67%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.79 $3.79

13.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$8.85 $8.85

48.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.87 $8.87

59.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$12.69 $12.69

28.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.31 $4.31

5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.71 $1.71

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.21 $3.21

46.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.23 $2.23

86.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.08 $2.08

24.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.26 $2.26

3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.04 $2.04

-13.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.20 $1.20

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$7.13 $7.13

41.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.19 $10.19

49.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.13 $2.13

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.02 $3.02

13.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.44 $2.44

14.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.54 $1.54

3.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.13 $1.13

-16.81%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$24.2K $24.2K

40.61%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.88%

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

$223 $223

$171 $171

30.14%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$45.23 $45.23

30.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$50.3 $50.3

40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$11.45 $11.45

24.54%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$989 $989

52.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$19.8K $19.8K

5.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$48.02 $48.02

6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$89.3 $89.3

-2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$118 $118

-11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,606 $1,606

20.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,585 $1,585

-16.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,364 $2,364

54.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,385 $2,385

7.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$7,122 $7,122

-25.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.43

5.60%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Plainfield, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Plainfield, IL

$1.6K 61.4% 20.4% $269

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Plainfield, IL

$298 11.5% 26.5% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Plainfield, IL

$267 10.3% 24.3% $86

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Plainfield, IL

$286 11.1% 18.4% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Plainfield, IL

$115 * 4.4% 11.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Plainfield, IL

$23 * 0.9% 73.4% $63

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Plainfield, IL

$10 * 0.4% 82.5% $48

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 $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,606 in Plainfield, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plainfield, IL pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $76.0 in Plainfield, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $298 per month, with Plainfield, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Plainfield, IL

🕒 Local time

08:19 8:19 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

40,466

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Plainfield, IL 1,520 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Plainfield, 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 Plainfield, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Plainfield, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Plainfield, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Plainfield, 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,606 in Plainfield, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $989 in Plainfield, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Plainfield, IL – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,583 in Plainfield, IL versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Plainfield, IL but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Plainfield, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Plainfield, 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 Plainfield, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.