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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,701 in Austin, TX versus $2,698 in Salem, OR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,086 in Austin, TX versus $3,898 in Salem, OR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,470 in Austin, TX versus $5,098 in Salem, OR.

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Salem, OR; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Salem, OR 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$17.58 $17.58

13.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$88.9 $88.9

-16.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$9.83 $9.83

0.20%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$4.46 $4.46

29.82%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.63 $2.63

4.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.01 $2.01

7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$4.76 $4.76

25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$7.10 $7.10

14.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.05 $1.05

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.96 $3.96

-17.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.85 $3.85

-12.47%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$4.73 $4.73

-8.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$16.97 $16.97

-29.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$12.92 $12.92

-18.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 $14.59

$16.67 $16.67

-12.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$4.18 $4.18

20.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.47 $1.47

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.67 $3.67

19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.75 $3.75

8.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.06 $2.06

34.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.07 $2.07

36.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.97 $1.97

-0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.71 $1.71

30.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.75 $8.75

$10.61 $10.61

-17.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.73 $14.73

-0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.67 $1.67

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.96 $2.96

17.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.69 $1.69

-10.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.74 $42.74

$40.52 $40.52

5.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.55 $3.55

21.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.26 $1.26

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.23 $35.23

$40.39 $40.39

-12.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.01 $1.01

-20.79%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.6K $27.6K

-6.76%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.9K $24.9K

7.92%

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

$173 $173

$273 $273

-36.49%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$55.6 $55.6

5.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$77.2 $77.2

-13.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 $61.8

$54.2 $54.2

14.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$13.09 $13.09

13.06%

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

$1,414 $1,414

$1,322 $1,322

6.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K $22.1K

$23.2K $23.2K

-4.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$45.23 $45.23

21.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.67 $46.67

$51.7 $51.7

-9.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$85.2 $85.2

2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$80.7 $80.7

47.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 $2,200

$1,518 $1,518

44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$1,372 $1,372

4.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,769 $3,769

$2,850 $2,850

32.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 $2,704

$2,140 $2,140

26.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,334 $7,334

$3,016 $3,016

143.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,140 $3,140

$3,083 $3,083

1.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,093 $5,093

$3,810 $3,810

33.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.55

-1.53%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: July 20, 2026

Last update for Salem, OR: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,200 in Austin, TX and $1,518 in Salem, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 34% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74.0 in Austin, TX vs $89.0 in Salem, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $396 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 34% 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: $2,200 in Austin, TX versus $1,518 in Salem, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,414 in Austin, TX versus $1,322 in Salem, OR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Salem, OR – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $74.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,698 in Salem, OR versus $2,701 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Salem, OR but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Salem, OR 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.

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