Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Rochester, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Rochester, MN: $2,512 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, MN
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Rochester, MN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Rochester, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Rochester, MN

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,512 in Rochester, MN.

Austin, TX $2,698
Rochester, MN $2,512

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,838 in Rochester, MN.

Austin, TX $4,160
Rochester, MN $3,838

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $5,164 in Rochester, MN.

Austin, TX $5,622
Rochester, MN $5,164

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 7% more expensive than in Rochester, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Rochester, MN 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$19.97 $19.97

3.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$73.6 $73.6

14.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.06 $11.06

9.13%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.83 $5.83

-6.00%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.82 $2.82

34.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.46 $2.46

0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.03 $5.03

60.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$5.67 $5.67

56.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.86 $0.86

29.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.88 $2.88

29.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.26 $3.26

3.37%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.65 $3.65

18.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.31 $9.31

41.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$12.22 $12.22

15.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$18.90 $18.90

-13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.20 $5.20

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.51 $1.51

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.27 $4.27

10.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.84 $3.84

8.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.17 $2.17

18.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.60 $3.60

-34.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.72 $2.72

-34.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.91 $2.91

-26.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$9.83 $9.83

2.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.15 $15.15

0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.69 $1.69

66.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.94 $2.94

17.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.98 $1.98

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$42.25 $42.25

-2.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.02 $2.02

38.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.27 $1.27

25.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$19.82 $19.82

73.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.86 $0.86

9.30%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

24.84%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.92%

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

$223 $223

$169 $169

31.39%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$47.11 $47.11

25.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$44.05 $44.05

60.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$53.2 $53.2

8.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$20.18 $20.18

-18.09%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$10.09 $10.09

41.33%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,352 $1,352

11.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$11.9K $11.9K

75.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$62.4 $62.4

-17.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$62.7 $62.7

-29.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$73.9 $73.9

17.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$86.4 $86.4

20.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,645 $1,645

17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,284 $1,284

2.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,035 $2,035

80.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,380 $2,380

7.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,165 $2,165

239.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,961 $1,961

59.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,617 $4,617

14.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.57

3.35%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rochester, MN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Rochester, MN

$1.3K 51.1% 2.5% $32

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Rochester, MN

$386 15.4% 4.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Rochester, MN

$261 10.4% 26% $92

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Rochester, MN

$321 12.8% 8.4% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Rochester, MN

$128 5.1% 0.5% $0.6

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Rochester, MN

$73 2.9% 14.9% $13

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Rochester, MN

$59 2.3% 1.1% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,645 in Rochester, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 15% 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 $74.0 in Rochester, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $386 per month, with Rochester, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Rochester, MN

🕒 Local time

00:22 12:22 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

211,328

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Rochester, MN 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Rochester, MN

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 Rochester, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rochester, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rochester, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 15% 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 $1,645 in Rochester, MN. 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 $2,512 in Rochester, MN – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rochester, MN runs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

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 Rochester, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.