Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Rock Springs, WY

For one person, living is cheaper in Rock Springs, WY: $2,444 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Rock Springs, WY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,444
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Rock Springs, WY

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 Rock Springs, WY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,444 in Rock Springs, WY.

  • Austin, TX $2,698
  • Rock Springs, WY $2,444

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,553 in Rock Springs, WY.

  • Austin, TX $4,160
  • Rock Springs, WY $3,553

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,662 in Rock Springs, WY.

  • Austin, TX $5,622
  • Rock Springs, WY $4,662

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Rock Springs, WY 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.63 $20.63
$17.73 $17.73
16.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$73.2 $73.2
15.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.07 $12.07
$9.81 $9.81
23.04%
Cappuccino
$5.48 $5.48
$4.97 $4.97
10.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 $3.80
$2.30 $2.30
65.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.65 $1.65
49.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$4.90 $4.90
64.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.88 $8.88
$5.84 $5.84
52.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$0.88 $0.88
26.14%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$3.95 $3.95
-5.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.37 $3.37
$1.80 $1.80
87.22%
Eggs
$4.32 $4.32
$2.95 $2.95
46.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.13 $13.13
$10.90 $10.90
20.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.15 $14.15
$9.96 $9.96
42.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.33 $16.33
$17.13 $17.13
-4.67%
Apples (1kg)
$4.55 $4.55
$3.98 $3.98
14.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.35 $1.35
8.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.71 $4.71
$3.36 $3.36
40.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$2.88 $2.88
44.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.93 $1.93
33.68%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.51 $2.51
-6.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.94 $1.94
-8.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$0.99 $0.99
116.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.10 $10.10
$8.92 $8.92
13.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.19 $15.19
$14.95 $14.95
1.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.63 $2.63
7.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 $3.44
$3.27 $3.27
5.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.72 $1.72
-10.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.99 $40.99
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.46 $2.46
13.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.27 $2.27
-29.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.34 $34.34
$25.36 $25.36
35.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.01 $1.01
-6.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K $34.0K
$35.0K $35.0K
-2.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$24.0K $24.0K
11.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$197 $197
12.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9 $58.9
$44.10 $44.10
33.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$79.8 $79.8
-11.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.7 $57.7
$42.29 $42.29
36.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53 $16.53
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 $14.26
$15.05 $15.05
-5.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,511 $1,511
$1,294 $1,294
16.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.9K $20.9K
$20.5K $20.5K
1.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$49.17 $49.17
4.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.17 $44.17
$46.34 $46.34
-4.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 $87.0
$81.3 $81.3
7.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$106 $106
-1.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,940 $1,940
$791 $791
145.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,316 $1,316
$1,283 $1,283
2.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$2,519 $2,519
45.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,565 $2,565
$2,113 $2,113
21.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,354 $7,354
$1,563 $1,563
370.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,129 $3,129
$1,608 $1,608
94.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Rock Springs, WY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,286 $5,286
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
6.46
5.11%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rock Springs, WY: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Rock Springs, WY
$1.3K 2.5% $34
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$406
Rock Springs, WY
$337 17% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$352
Rock Springs, WY
$321 8.8% $31
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$350
Rock Springs, WY
$283 19.2% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Rock Springs, WY
$127 1.3% $1.7
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Rock Springs, WY
$72 16% $14
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$58
Rock Springs, WY
$21 * 64.3% $37

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $791 in Rock Springs, WY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $73.0 in Rock Springs, WY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $337 per month, with Rock Springs, WY cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Rock Springs, WY
🕒 Local time
01:02 1:02 AM
00:02 12:02 AM
1 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
22,105
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Rock Springs, WY 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Rock Springs, WY

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 Rock Springs, WY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Rock Springs, WY?
Rock Springs, WY wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rock Springs, WY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Rock Springs, WY?
You'd need roughly $4,046 in Austin, TX and $3,667 in Rock Springs, WY to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Rock Springs, WY?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $791 in Rock Springs, WY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Rock Springs, WY?
Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,294 in Rock Springs, WY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Rock Springs, WY?
Dining out is cheaper in Rock Springs, WY – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Austin, TX or in Rock Springs, WY?
At $2,444 in Rock Springs, WY versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rock Springs, WY but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Rock Springs, WY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Rock Springs, WY?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Rock Springs, WY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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