Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Saint Louis, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Louis, MO: $2,428 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Austin, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Saint Louis, MO
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Saint Louis, MO Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Saint Louis, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Saint Louis, 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 Saint Louis, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,428 in Saint Louis, MO.

Austin, TX $2,663
Saint Louis, MO $2,428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,685 in Saint Louis, MO.

Austin, TX $4,133
Saint Louis, MO $3,685

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,942 in Saint Louis, MO.

Austin, TX $5,603
Saint Louis, MO $4,942

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Saint Louis, MO 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$18.12 $18.12

14.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$78.6 $78.6

7.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$12.21 $12.21

0.90%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.16 $5.16

9.11%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.30 $2.30

61.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.76 $1.76

42.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.71 $5.71

40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.94 $6.94

29.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.29 $1.29

-13.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.91 $3.91

-4.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.88 $5.88

-44.56%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.94 $3.94

5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$13.13 $13.13

-1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$15.42 $15.42

-8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$20.08 $20.08

-19.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$8.16 $8.16

-46.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.39 $2.39

-38.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.75 $5.75

-21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.35 $5.35

-18.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.21 $4.21

-38.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$5.04 $5.04

-53.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.79 $2.79

-36.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.93 $2.93

-24.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$7.85 $7.85

25.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.26 $15.26

-1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.95 $2.95

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.24 $3.24

6.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.48 $2.48

-39.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$78.9 $78.9

-47.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.44 $3.44

-20.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.52 $1.52

9.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$40.69 $40.69

-13.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 $1.01

-5.94%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.4K $35.4K

1.94%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.6K $24.6K

10.13%

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

$229 $229

$240 $240

-4.53%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$70.1 $70.1

-15.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$77.0 $77.0

-9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$32.14 $32.14

78.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$19.82 $19.82

-17.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$13.95 $13.95

2.37%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,378 $1,378

9.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$23.5K $23.5K

-8.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$60.1 $60.1

-12.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$39.85 $39.85

9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$89.2 $89.2

-4.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$118 $118

-12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,495 $1,495

27.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$948 $948

34.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,069 $2,069

77.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,696 $1,696

49.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,393 $1,393

446.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,872 $1,872

68.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$4,203 $4,203

21.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.72

1.04%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Saint Louis, 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%

Saint Louis, MO

$948 39% 25.6% $327

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Saint Louis, MO

$494 20.3% 22% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Saint Louis, MO

$387 15.9% 8% $29

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Saint Louis, MO

$302 12.4% 14.6% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Saint Louis, MO

$138 5.7% 8% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Saint Louis, MO

$60 2.5% 30% $26

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Saint Louis, MO

$100 4.1% 70.2% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,495 in Saint Louis, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 22% 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 $79.0 in Saint Louis, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $494, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Saint Louis, MO

🕒 Local time

11:08 11:08 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

301,578

💱 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 Saint Louis, MO 1,160 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Saint Louis, 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 Saint Louis, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Louis, MO 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 Saint Louis, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 22% 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 $1,495 in Saint Louis, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,428 in Saint Louis, MO – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Saint Louis, MO runs roughly 89% 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 $2,500. Saint Louis, MO 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 Saint Louis, MO 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.