Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Reston, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,210 in Reston, VA, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
156

Cost of Living Index in Reston, VA
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Reston, VA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Reston, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Reston, VA

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 Reston, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $3,210 in Reston, VA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Reston, VA $3,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $5,151 in Reston, VA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Reston, VA $5,151

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $7,092 in Reston, VA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Reston, VA $7,092

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 19% less than in Reston, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Reston, VA 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$24.67 $24.67

-17.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$118 $118

-28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.18 $10.18

19.06%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.90 $5.90

-4.24%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.97 $2.97

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.66 $2.66

-11.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.04 $7.04

11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.44 $7.44

18.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.29 $1.29

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.19 $4.19

-11.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.31 $4.31

-23.20%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.29 $5.29

-21.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$17.14 $17.14

-24.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$16.56 $16.56

-16.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$23.03 $23.03

-29.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.93 $6.93

-32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.73 $1.73

-16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.99 $3.99

28.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.93 $5.93

-23.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.89 $2.89

6.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.72 $3.72

-36.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.91 $2.91

-38.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.46 $2.46

-9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$13.99 $13.99

-28.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$18.29 $18.29

-17.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.70 $1.70

71.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.67 $4.67

-28.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$3.93 $3.93

-68.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$128 $128

-68.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.99 $3.99

-30.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.61 $1.61

2.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$25.13 $25.13

40.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.00 $1.00

-5.00%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$30.3K $30.3K

12.78%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.7K $23.7K

13.07%

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

$223 $223

$214 $214

3.99%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$63.7 $63.7

-8.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$79.2 $79.2

-10.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$101 $101

-47.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$30.23 $30.23

-44.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$15.91 $15.91

-11.63%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$2,926 $2,926

-50.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$41.5K $41.5K

-48.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$75.2 $75.2

-30.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$43.29 $43.29

-1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$106 $106

-18.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$126 $126

-17.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$2,364 $2,364

-10.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,536 $1,536

-19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$3,630 $3,630

6.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$3,204 $3,204

-24.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$6,480 $6,480

14.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$4,297 $4,297

-28.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$6,272 $6,272

-17.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.63

2.87%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Reston, VA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Reston, VA

$1.5K 47.8% 24.8% $306

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Reston, VA

$499 15.5% 21.8% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Reston, VA

$357 11.1% 1.3% $4.7

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Reston, VA

$371 11.6% 6.7% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Reston, VA

$158 4.9% 22.9% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Reston, VA

$133 4.2% 63.9% $52

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Reston, VA

$156 4.9% 176% $99

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $2,364 in Reston, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Reston, VA pays 21% 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 in Austin, TX vs $118 in Reston, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $499 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Reston, VA

🕒 Local time

00:13 12:13 AM

01:13 1:13 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

58,404

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Reston, VA 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Reston, VA

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 Reston, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Reston, VA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $2,364 in Reston, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,210 in Reston, VA – Austin, TX is about 19% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 68% less than in Reston, VA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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.

For families, Austin, TX is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Reston, VA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Reston, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.