Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Raleigh, NC

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Raleigh, NC: $2,607 and $2,643 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

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

Cost of Living Index in Raleigh, NC
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Raleigh, NC Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Raleigh, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,643

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Raleigh, NC

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 Raleigh, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,643 in Raleigh, NC.

Austin, TX $2,607
Raleigh, NC $2,643

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,817 in Raleigh, NC.

Austin, TX $4,031
Raleigh, NC $3,817

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,991 in Raleigh, NC.

Austin, TX $5,454
Raleigh, NC $4,991

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Raleigh, NC; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Raleigh, NC 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$21.90 $21.90

-7.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$88.4 $88.4

-4.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.44 $11.44

5.94%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.60 $5.60

0.89%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.83 $2.83

30.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.16 $2.16

9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.12 $6.12

28.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$6.94 $6.94

27.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.88 $0.88

29.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.79 $3.79

-2.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.17 $3.17

4.42%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$4.78 $4.78

-13.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$15.10 $15.10

-14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.74 $9.74

42.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$17.81 $17.81

-8.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.61 $6.61

-29.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.26 $1.26

15.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.45 $4.45

14.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.75 $5.75

-21.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.91 $2.91

5.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.61 $3.61

-34.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.16 $2.16

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.21 $2.21

0.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.64 $8.64

15.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.11 $15.11

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.24 $2.24

29.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.74 $2.74

21.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$40.38 $40.38

0.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.92 $2.92

-4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.92 $1.92

-14.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$17.79 $17.79

98.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 $1.01

-5.94%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$30.8K $30.8K

10.97%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.60%

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

$223 $223

$185 $185

20.29%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$56.7 $56.7

3.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$68.5 $68.5

3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$33.01 $33.01

60.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$5.90 $5.90

183.90%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$14.74 $14.74

-4.61%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,317 $1,317

10.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$24.0K $24.0K

-10.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$60.5 $60.5

-13.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$55.7 $55.7

-23.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$102 $102

-15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$159 $159

-34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,715 $1,715

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,290 $1,290

-4.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,825 $2,825

36.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,915 $1,915

25.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$4,556 $4,556

62.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,115 $2,115

44.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,605 $4,605

12.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.61

3.18%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Raleigh, NC: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Raleigh, NC

$1.3K 48.8% 4.9% $60

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Raleigh, NC

$411 15.6% 0.3% $1.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Raleigh, NC

$311 11.8% 11.9% $42

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Raleigh, NC

$341 12.9% 2% $7

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Raleigh, NC

$170 6.4% 32.1% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Raleigh, NC

$62 2.4% 23% $19

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Raleigh, NC

$58 2.2% 2.3% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,715 in Raleigh, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 12% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $88 in Raleigh, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $411 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Raleigh, NC

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

19:07 7:07 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

431,746

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Raleigh, NC 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Raleigh, NC

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 Raleigh, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 12% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,715 in Raleigh, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,317 in Raleigh, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85 versus $88 in Raleigh, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.