Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Rolla, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Rolla, MO: $2,408 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. The total is higher in Austin, TX despite lower rent and utilities.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
118

Cost of Living Index in Rolla, MO
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Rolla, MO Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Rolla, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,408

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Rolla, MO

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,408 in Rolla, MO.

Austin, TX $2,663
Rolla, MO $2,408

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,725 in Rolla, MO.

Austin, TX $4,133
Rolla, MO $2,725

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,042 in Rolla, MO.

Austin, TX $5,603
Rolla, MO $3,042

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 11% more expensive than in Rolla, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Rolla, MO 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$12.13 $12.13

71.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$34.90 $34.90

142.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.15 $9.15

34.64%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.06 $4.06

38.67%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.96 $1.96

89.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.23 $1.23

103.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.06 $3.06

163.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$3.96 $3.96

127.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.01 $1.01

10.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.37 $3.37

11.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.20 $2.20

48.18%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.42 $1.42

193.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$11.06 $11.06

16.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$8.87 $8.87

59.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$7.49 $7.49

116.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.37 $4.37

-0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.12 $1.12

30.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.13 $3.13

44.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.49 $4.49

-3.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.68 $1.68

53.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.36 $2.36

-0.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.77 $1.77

0.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.08 $2.08

6.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.89 $4.89

102.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$4.97 $4.97

203.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.77 $1.77

64.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.43 $4.43

-21.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.27 $2.27

-34.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.97 $2.97

-8.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.40 $1.40

18.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$35.78 $35.78

-1.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.91 $0.91

4.40%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

2.87%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.5K $26.5K

2.30%

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

$229 $229

$270 $270

-15.31%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$59.2 $59.2

0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$71.7 $71.7

-2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$41.07 $41.07

39.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$10.13 $10.13

61.20%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$10.02 $10.02

42.51%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$770 $770

95.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

-16.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$72.3 $72.3

-26.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$36.93 $36.93

18.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$79.8 $79.8

6.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$123 $123

-15.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,584 $1,584

20.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,286 $1,286

-0.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,085 $1,085

237.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$834 $834

204.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,620 $2,620

190.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,260 $2,260

39.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$4,552 $4,552

12.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.36

6.76%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rolla, MO: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Rolla, MO

$1.3K 53.4% 1% $12

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Rolla, MO

$291 12.1% 28% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Rolla, MO

$401 16.7% 12% $43

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Rolla, MO

$209 8.7% 40.9% $145

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Rolla, MO

$140 5.8% 9.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Rolla, MO

$61 2.5% 28.8% $25

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Rolla, MO

$19 * 0.8% 67.6% $40

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 $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,584 in Rolla, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 13% 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 $35.00 in Rolla, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $291 per month, with Rolla, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Rolla, MO

🕒 Local time

03:41 3:41 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

19,943

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Rolla, MO 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Rolla, MO

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 Rolla, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rolla, MO wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rolla, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,584 in Rolla, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $770 in Rolla, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rolla, MO – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,408 in Rolla, MO versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Rolla, MO but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Rolla, MO 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.

Expats usually find Rolla, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.