Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Rochester, NY: $2,362 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, NY
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Rochester, NY Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Rochester, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,362

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,362 in Rochester, NY.

Austin, TX $2,607
Rochester, NY $2,362

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,377 in Rochester, NY.

Austin, TX $4,031
Rochester, NY $3,377

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,392 in Rochester, NY.

Austin, TX $5,454
Rochester, NY $4,392

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 10% more expensive than in Rochester, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Rochester, NY 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$22.23 $22.23

-8.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$75.0 $75.0

12.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.99 $9.99

21.32%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.56 $5.56

1.62%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.79 $2.79

31.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.44 $2.44

-3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.52 $4.52

74.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$6.09 $6.09

44.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.76 $0.76

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.41 $3.41

8.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.54 $5.54

-40.25%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.90 $3.90

6.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.65 $10.65

21.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$7.86 $7.86

76.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$15.28 $15.28

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.73 $3.73

25.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.18 $1.18

22.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.65 $5.65

-9.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.91 $4.91

-7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.61 $3.61

-14.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$4.29 $4.29

-44.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.15 $2.15

-16.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.17 $2.17

2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$14.78 $14.78

-32.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.05 $10.05

49.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.41 $2.41

20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.63 $3.63

-8.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.02 $1.02

19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$56.9 $56.9

-28.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.56 $2.56

8.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.88 $1.88

-12.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$21.29 $21.29

66.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.05 $1.05

-9.52%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$28.0K $28.0K

22.32%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.93%

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

$223 $223

$143 $143

55.79%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$53.3 $53.3

9.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$71.7 $71.7

-0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$31.42 $31.42

68.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$44.54 $44.54

-62.39%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.59 $12.59

11.68%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,361 $1,361

7.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$28.6K $28.6K

-25.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$41.39 $41.39

26.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$32.73 $32.73

30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$85.0 $85.0

1.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$87.1 $87.1

19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,469 $1,469

43.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,160 $1,160

6.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,255 $2,255

71.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,637 $1,637

47.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,593 $1,593

366.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,453 $1,453

110.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,950 $3,950

31.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.8

0.29%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Rochester, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Rochester, NY

$1.2K 49.1% 5.7% $70

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Rochester, NY

$363 15.4% 11.4% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Rochester, NY

$268 11.4% 24% $84

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Rochester, NY

$330 14% 5.2% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Rochester, NY

$111 4.7% 13.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Rochester, NY

$57 2.4% 30.3% $25

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Rochester, NY

$73 3.1% 29.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,469 in Rochester, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 31% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $75 in Rochester, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $363 per month, with Rochester, NY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Rochester, NY

🕒 Local time

18:18 6:18 PM

19:18 7:18 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

211,328

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Rochester, NY 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Rochester, NY

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, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rochester, NY wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Rochester, NY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 31% 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 $1,469 in Rochester, NY. 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 $2,362 in Rochester, NY – Rochester, NY is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 29% less than in Rochester, NY. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Rochester, NY 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.

It comes down to priorities – Rochester, NY wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.