Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Salem, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Salem, OH: $2,423 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. The total is higher in Austin, TX despite lower rent and utilities.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Salem, OH
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Salem, OH Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Salem, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,423

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Salem, OH

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 Salem, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,423 in Salem, OH.

Austin, TX $2,607
Salem, OH $2,423

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,469 in Salem, OH.

Austin, TX $4,031
Salem, OH $3,469

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,516 in Salem, OH.

Austin, TX $5,454
Salem, OH $4,516

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 8% more expensive than in Salem, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Salem, OH 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$13.72 $13.72

48.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$50.3 $50.3

68.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.84 $9.84

23.17%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$2.94 $2.94

92.18%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.24 $2.24

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.52 $1.52

55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$3.99 $3.99

97.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$3.92 $3.92

125.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.95 $0.95

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.25 $3.25

13.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.01 $4.01

-17.46%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.28 $3.28

26.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.94 $10.94

18.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.87 $9.87

40.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$16.36 $16.36

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.39 $3.39

38.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.50 $1.50

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.49 $4.49

13.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.80 $3.80

18.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.58 $2.58

19.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.94 $1.94

22.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.64 $2.64

-31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.27 $2.27

-2.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.95 $9.95

0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.76 $13.76

9.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.99 $1.99

46.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.16 $3.16

5.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.15 $2.15

-43.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$63.8 $63.8

-36.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.51 $2.51

10.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.43 $2.43

-32.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$40.04 $40.04

-11.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 $1.01

-5.94%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$31.4K $31.4K

8.84%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.11%

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

$223 $223

$178 $178

24.96%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$60.9 $60.9

-3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$64.5 $64.5

10.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$45.96 $45.96

15.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.05 $12.05

16.68%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$493 $493

196.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$14.1K $14.1K

51.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$45.57 $45.57

15.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$39.40 $39.40

8.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$71.2 $71.2

21.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$80.1 $80.1

29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,592 $1,592

32.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,279 $1,279

-3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,498 $2,498

54.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,095 $2,095

14.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,763 $2,763

168.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,232 $2,232

37.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Salem, OH: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Salem, OH

$1.3K 52.8% 4% $49

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Salem, OH

$359 14.8% 12.5% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Salem, OH

$304 12.5% 13.8% $49

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Salem, OH

$217 9% 37.5% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Salem, OH

$106 4.4% 17.2% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Salem, OH

$70 2.9% 13.7% $11

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Salem, OH

$87 3.6% 54.2% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,592 in Salem, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $50 in Salem, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $359 per month, with Salem, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Salem, OH

🕒 Local time

06:44 6:44 AM

07:44 7:44 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

155,469

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Salem, OH 1,930 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Salem, OH

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 Salem, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salem, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Salem, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $3,911 in Austin, TX and $3,634 in Salem, OH 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,592 in Salem, OH. 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 $2,423 in Salem, OH – Salem, OH is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 36% less than in Salem, OH. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Salem, OH is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Salem, OH is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.