Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Retford

For one person, living is cheaper in Retford: $2,255 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in Retford
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Retford Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Retford

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

$2,255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Retford

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,255 in Retford.

Austin, TX $2,698
Retford $2,255

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,343 in Retford.

Austin, TX $4,160
Retford $3,343

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,432 in Retford.

Austin, TX $5,622
Retford $4,432

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 20% more expensive than in Retford, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Retford 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$14.72 £11.04

40.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$66.5 £49.87

27.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$7.14 £5.36

69.05%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.88 £2.91

41.24%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.75 £1.31

117.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.78 £1.33

38.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.30 £3.22

87.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$4.34 £3.26

104.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.72 £1.29

-35.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.83 £1.38

103.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.64 £1.23

105.49%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.66 £3.50

-7.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.18 £8.39

17.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$10.16 £7.62

39.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$12.50 £9.38

30.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.09 £1.56

117.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.80 £1.35

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.76 £1.32

167.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.74 £1.31

138.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.48 £1.11

74.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.58 £1.19

48.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.42 £0.31

321.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.56 £1.17

37.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$23.33 £17.50

-56.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$7.77 £5.83

95.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.70 £1.27

65.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.04 £1.53

68.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.65 £2.74

-57.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$108 £80.7

-61.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.93 £3.70

-43.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.91 £2.93

-59.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$28.85 £21.64

19.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.09 £1.57

-55.02%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$40.1K £30.1K

-15.34%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$44.2K £33.2K

-39.45%

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

$223 $223

$342 £257

-34.89%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$27.87 £20.91

111.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$46.53 £34.91

51.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$52.7 £39.53

9.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$11.50 £8.62

24.00%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,926 £1,445

-21.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$23.9K £17.9K

-12.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$85.1 £63.9

-39.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$60.8 £45.59

-27.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$109 £81.4

-19.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$161 £121

-35.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,398 £1,049

38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$924 £693

42.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,099 £1,575

74.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,675 £1,257

53.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$5,059 £3,796

45.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$3,851 £2,889

-18.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$1,711 £1,283

209.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.3

28.11%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Retford: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Retford

$924 41% 29.8% $392

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Retford

$276 12.2% 32.1% $130

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Retford

$416 18.5% 18.2% $64

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Retford

$230 10.2% 34.3% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Retford

$187 8.3% 44.9% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Retford

$76 3.4% 12.2% $11

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Retford

$147 6.5% 153% $89

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,398 in Retford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 209% 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 $66.0 in Retford for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $276 per month, with Retford cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇬🇧 Retford

🕒 Local time

09:17 9:17 AM

15:17 3:17 PM

6 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

22,023

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

British Pound GBP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 GBP = 1.33 USD

1 GBP = 1.19 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇬🇧 British Pound (£)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

GBP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Retford 7,780 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Retford

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 Retford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Retford wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Retford the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 209% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,398 in Retford. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,255 in Retford – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Retford runs roughly 162% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,255 in Retford versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Retford but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Retford 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 Retford 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 Retford gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.