Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Saint Paul, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN: $2,445 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

125

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

Cost of Living Index in Saint Paul, MN
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Saint Paul, MN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,445

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Saint Paul, MN

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN.

Austin, TX $2,607
Saint Paul, MN $2,445

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,672 in Saint Paul, MN.

Austin, TX $4,031
Saint Paul, MN $3,672

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,900 in Saint Paul, MN.

Austin, TX $5,454
Saint Paul, MN $4,900

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 7% more expensive than in Saint Paul, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Saint Paul, MN 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$15.66 $15.66

29.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$67.8 $67.8

24.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.07 $10.07

20.36%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.03 $5.03

12.33%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.09 $3.09

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.59 $2.59

-8.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.04 $6.04

30.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.37 $7.37

19.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.98 $0.98

16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.80 $3.80

-2.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.33 $3.33

-0.60%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.96 $2.96

40.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$9.39 $9.39

38.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.66 $9.66

43.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$13.17 $13.17

24.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.84 $4.84

-3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.11 $1.11

30.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.88 $5.88

-13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.92 $4.92

-8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.81 $3.81

-19.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.48 $3.48

-31.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.05 $2.05

-12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.75 $1.75

26.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$12.68 $12.68

-21.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.65 $14.65

2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.69 $1.69

72.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.41 $3.41

-2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.96 $1.96

-37.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$104 $104

-60.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.54 $2.54

9.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.52 $1.52

8.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$31.02 $31.02

14.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.03 $1.03

-7.77%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

26.23%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.69%

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

$223 $223

$232 $232

-4.00%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$50.6 $50.6

15.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$64.7 $64.7

9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$29.74 $29.74

78.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$8.50 $8.50

97.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$13.07 $13.07

7.57%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,481 $1,481

-1.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$28.1K $28.1K

-23.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$41.01 $41.01

27.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$40.23 $40.23

6.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$82.1 $82.1

5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$110 $110

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,444 $1,444

46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,153 $1,153

6.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,660 $2,660

45.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,132 $2,132

12.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,631 $2,631

182.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,949 $1,949

56.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,256 $4,256

21.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.31

8.08%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Saint Paul, MN

$1.2K 47.2% 6.3% $77

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Saint Paul, MN

$360 14.7% 12.1% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Saint Paul, MN

$348 14.2% 1.4% $5

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Saint Paul, MN

$283 11.6% 18.6% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Saint Paul, MN

$123 5% 4.2% $5.4

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Saint Paul, MN

$56 2.3% 31.1% $25

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Saint Paul, MN

$122 5% 116% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 22% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $68 in Saint Paul, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $360 per month, with Saint Paul, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN

🕒 Local time

21:13 9:13 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

285,068

💱 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 Saint Paul, MN 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Saint Paul, MN

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 Paul, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Paul, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Saint Paul, MN 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN. 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 $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN – Saint Paul, MN is about 6% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 61% less than in Saint Paul, MN. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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.

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