Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Saginaw, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Saginaw, MI: $1,932 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in Saginaw, MI
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Saginaw, MI Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Saginaw, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,932

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Saginaw, MI

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $1,932 in Saginaw, MI.

Austin, TX $2,689
Saginaw, MI $1,932

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,135 in Saginaw, MI.

Austin, TX $4,112
Saginaw, MI $3,135

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $4,338 in Saginaw, MI.

Austin, TX $5,534
Saginaw, MI $4,338

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 39% more expensive than in Saginaw, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Saginaw, MI 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$20.28 $20.28

5.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$64.4 $64.4

36.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$10.19 $10.19

22.08%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.49 $5.49

2.00%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$2.17 $2.17

68.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.53 $1.53

56.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$5.01 $5.01

56.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$4.89 $4.89

78.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.96 $0.96

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.38 $3.38

7.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.00 $4.00

-12.50%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$3.15 $3.15

41.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$11.27 $11.27

16.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$9.92 $9.92

40.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$16.03 $16.03

2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.25 $3.25

45.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.54 $4.54

2.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.67 $3.67

23.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.63 $2.63

-3.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.03 $2.03

17.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.53 $2.53

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.27 $2.27

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$9.75 $9.75

3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.57 $13.57

9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.02 $2.02

39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.07 $3.07

7.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.54 $1.54

-20.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$40.25 $40.25

2.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.56 $2.56

4.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.43 $2.43

-32.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$39.56 $39.56

-11.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.02 $1.02

-3.92%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$31.2K $31.2K

10.18%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.94%

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

$252 $252

$176 $176

42.93%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$25.10 $25.10

138.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$39.67 $39.67

75.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$11.98 $11.98

14.77%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$1,689 $1,689

-13.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$19.7K $19.7K

34.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$45.70 $45.70

15.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$39.23 $39.23

16.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$73.0 $73.0

17.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$77.2 $77.2

37.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$825 $825

166.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$833 $833

52.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$1,310 $1,310

205.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$1,901 $1,901

26.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$1,213 $1,213

508.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$1,225 $1,225

142.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.51

4.76%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Saginaw, MI: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Saginaw, MI

$833 43.1% 34.3% $436

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Saginaw, MI

$358 18.5% 12.1% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Saginaw, MI

$241 12.5% 36.8% $140

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Saginaw, MI

$308 16% 13.4% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Saginaw, MI

$106 5.5% 18.8% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Saginaw, MI

$24 * 1.2% 72.7% $64

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Saginaw, MI

$61 3.2% 6.9% $3.9

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 $2,195 in Austin, TX and $825 in Saginaw, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $64 in Saginaw, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $358 per month, with Saginaw, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Saginaw, MI

🕒 Local time

14:31 2:31 PM

15:31 3:31 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

44,202

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Saginaw, MI 1,900 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Saginaw, MI

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 Saginaw, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saginaw, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Saginaw, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $4,034 in Austin, TX and $2,898 in Saginaw, MI 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $825 in Saginaw, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,932 in Saginaw, MI – Saginaw, MI is about 28% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Saginaw, MI runs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Saginaw, MI gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Saginaw, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.