Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Rapid City, SD

For one person, living is cheaper in Rapid City, SD: $2,396 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Rapid City, SD
Learn more

Rapid City, SD Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Rapid City, SD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,396

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Rapid City, SD

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 Rapid City, SD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,396 in Rapid City, SD.

Austin, TX $2,663
Rapid City, SD $2,396

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,381 in Rapid City, SD.

Austin, TX $4,133
Rapid City, SD $3,381

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,366 in Rapid City, SD.

Austin, TX $5,603
Rapid City, SD $4,366

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 11% more expensive than in Rapid City, SD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Rapid City, SD 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$17.25 $17.25

20.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$63.5 $63.5

33.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$11.03 $11.03

11.70%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.64 $5.64

-0.18%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.42 $2.42

53.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.79 $1.79

39.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.96 $3.96

103.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.59 $5.59

61.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.08 $1.08

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.06 $3.06

22.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.94 $1.94

68.04%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.44 $4.44

-6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$12.98 $12.98

-0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$7.82 $7.82

81.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$12.92 $12.92

25.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.54 $3.54

22.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.30 $1.30

12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.68 $2.68

68.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.62 $3.62

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.94 $1.94

32.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.48 $2.48

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.17 $2.17

-17.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.90 $2.90

-23.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$9.72 $9.72

1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.76 $13.76

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.77 $1.77

64.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.96 $4.96

-30.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.51 $1.51

-1.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$30.46 $30.46

36.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.96 $2.96

-7.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.26 $1.26

31.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$24.76 $24.76

42.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.87 $0.87

9.20%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.2K $35.2K

2.31%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$32.7K $32.7K

-17.10%

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

$229 $229

$195 $195

17.40%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$46.23 $46.23

28.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$62.8 $62.8

11.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$51.0 $51.0

12.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.97 $14.97

9.08%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$11.77 $11.77

21.33%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$766 $766

96.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$62.7 $62.7

-15.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$75.4 $75.4

-41.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$77.6 $77.6

9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$110 $110

-6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$952 $952

100.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,200 $1,200

6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,742 $1,742

110.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,766 $1,766

43.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,624 $2,624

190.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,599 $2,599

21.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,778 $3,778

35.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.44

5.43%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rapid City, SD: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Rapid City, SD

$1.2K 50.1% 5.8% $74

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Rapid City, SD

$339 14.1% 16.3% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Rapid City, SD

$304 12.7% 15.1% $54

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Rapid City, SD

$287 12% 19% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Rapid City, SD

$147 6.1% 14.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Rapid City, SD

$75 3.1% 13.1% $11

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Rapid City, SD

$46 1.9% 22% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $952 in Rapid City, SD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $64.0 in Rapid City, SD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $339 per month, with Rapid City, SD cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Rapid City, SD

🕒 Local time

12:49 12:49 PM

11:49 11:49 AM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

74,703

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Rapid City, SD 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Rapid City, SD

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 Rapid City, SD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rapid City, SD wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rapid City, SD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 36% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $952 in Rapid City, SD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,396 in Rapid City, SD – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rapid City, SD runs roughly 37% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,396 in Rapid City, SD versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rapid City, SD but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Rapid City, SD 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.

Expats usually find Rapid City, SD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.