Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ponca City, OK

For one person, living is cheaper in Ponca City, OK: $2,526 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Austin, TX, United States
Ponca City, OK, United States
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,689
/mo nomad
Ponca City, OK
🇺🇸 United States
$2,526
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Ponca City, OK

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 Ponca City, OK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $2,526 in Ponca City, OK.

  • Austin, TX $2,689
  • Ponca City, OK $2,526

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,671 in Ponca City, OK.

  • Austin, TX $4,112
  • Ponca City, OK $3,671

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $4,816 in Ponca City, OK.

  • Austin, TX $5,534
  • Ponca City, OK $4,816

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 6% more expensive than in Ponca City, OK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Ponca City, OK 87% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.34 $21.34
$16.70 $16.70
27.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.9 $87.9
$55.9 $55.9
57.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.44 $12.44
$9.52 $9.52
30.67%
Cappuccino
$5.60 $5.60
$5.72 $5.72
-2.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.65 $3.65
$2.24 $2.24
62.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$1.69 $1.69
41.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.82 $7.82
$6.09 $6.09
28.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.75 $8.75
$7.15 $7.15
22.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$0.89 $0.89
25.84%
White Bread (500g)
$3.62 $3.62
$3.85 $3.85
-5.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.50 $3.50
$5.79 $5.79
-39.55%
Eggs
$4.45 $4.45
$5.37 $5.37
-17.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.18 $13.18
$7.98 $7.98
65.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.94 $13.94
$8.67 $8.67
60.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.46 $16.46
$13.40 $13.40
22.84%
Apples (1kg)
$4.73 $4.73
$4.41 $4.41
7.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 $1.50
$1.53 $1.53
-1.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.64 $4.64
$2.69 $2.69
72.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$4.72 $4.72
-4.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.88 $1.88
35.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 $2.39
$2.58 $2.58
-7.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.51 $1.51
21.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.02 $2.02
5.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.05 $10.05
$9.39 $9.39
7.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$19.31 $19.31
-22.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.54 $2.54
11.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 $3.29
$4.54 $4.54
-27.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.94 $1.94
-36.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.43 $41.43
$62.7 $62.7
-33.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 $2.68
$5.08 $5.08
-47.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.63 $1.63
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.20 $35.20
$34.09 $34.09
3.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$0.86 $0.86
13.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K $34.4K
$27.0K $27.0K
27.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$25.8K $25.8K
3.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 $252
$177 $177
42.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.8 $59.8
$55.2 $55.2
8.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.7 $69.7
$60.3 $60.3
15.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.4 $60.4
$42.95 $42.95
40.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.14 $18.14
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.75 $13.75
$9.82 $9.82
40.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,458 $1,458
$1,372 $1,372
6.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.6K $26.6K
$10.2K $10.2K
160.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6 $52.6
$60.8 $60.8
-13.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 $45.76
$50.9 $50.9
-10.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.5 $85.5
$114 $114
-24.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 $106
$130 $130
-18.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,195 $2,195
$521 $521
321.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,269 $1,269
$1,269 $1,269
-0.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,000 $4,000
$845 $845
373.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,406 $2,406
$2,129 $2,129
13.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,381 $7,381
$2,408 $2,408
206.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,964 $2,964
$2,477 $2,477
19.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Ponca City, OK
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,043 $5,043
$2,418 $2,418
108.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.6
3.33%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ponca City, OK: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Ponca City, OK
$1.3K 0% $0.6
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$407
Ponca City, OK
$367 10% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$382
Ponca City, OK
$292 23.5% $90
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$356
Ponca City, OK
$291 18.2% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$130
Ponca City, OK
$160 22.8% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$88
Ponca City, OK
$63 28.8% $25
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Ponca City, OK
$84 46.5% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $521 in Ponca City, OK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $56 in Ponca City, OK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $367 per month, with Ponca City, OK cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Ponca City, OK
🕒 Local time
03:16 3:16 AM
03:16 3:16 AM
Same time as Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
25,387
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Ponca City, OK 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Ponca City, OK

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 Ponca City, OK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Ponca City, OK?
Ponca City, OK 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 Ponca City, OK the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Ponca City, OK?
Average pay in Austin, TX is about 2.1 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Ponca City, OK?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $521 in Ponca City, OK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Ponca City, OK?
All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,526 in Ponca City, OK – Ponca City, OK is about 6% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Ponca City, OK?
A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 34% less than in Ponca City, OK. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Austin, TX or in Ponca City, OK?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Ponca City, OK gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Ponca City, OK?
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.
Should I move to Austin, TX or to Ponca City, OK?
It comes down to priorities – Ponca City, OK wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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