Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Salina, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Salina, KS: $1,997 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
96

Cost of Living Index in Salina, KS
Learn more

Salina, KS Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Salina, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,997

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Salina, KS

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 Salina, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,997 in Salina, KS.

Austin, TX $2,698
Salina, KS $1,997

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $2,997 in Salina, KS.

Austin, TX $4,160
Salina, KS $2,997

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $3,997 in Salina, KS.

Austin, TX $5,622
Salina, KS $3,997

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 35% more expensive than in Salina, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Salina, KS 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$15.03 $15.03

37.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$41.89 $41.89

101.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$9.28 $9.28

30.06%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.06 $2.06

84.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.73 $1.73

42.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.09 $5.09

58.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.21 $9.21

-3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.96 $0.96

15.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.17 $3.17

17.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$6.27 $6.27

-46.25%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.69 $4.69

-7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.78 $11.78

11.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.65 $8.65

63.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.60 $14.60

11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$6.90 $6.90

-34.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.16 $2.16

-32.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.78 $5.78

-18.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.45 $3.45

-25.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.85 $3.85

-38.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.81 $1.81

-2.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.06 $2.06

3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$7.96 $7.96

26.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$17.31 $17.31

-12.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.83 $1.83

54.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.57 $2.57

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.02 $2.02

-23.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$25.08 $25.08

63.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.10 $5.10

-45.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.27 $1.27

25.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$35.35 $35.35

-2.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.90 $0.90

4.44%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$24.6K $24.6K

37.94%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.38%

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

$223 $223

$145 $145

53.39%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$47.14 $47.14

24.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$65.2 $65.2

8.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$41.86 $41.86

37.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$34.08 $34.08

-51.50%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$14.87 $14.87

-4.10%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$822 $822

83.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$9,761 $9,761

114.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$48.15 $48.15

6.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$34.46 $34.46

28.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$76.2 $76.2

14.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$118 $118

-11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$762 $762

154.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$828 $828

59.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,298 $1,298

182.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,476 $1,476

73.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,417 $1,417

419.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,697 $1,697

84.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,030 $3,030

74.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.37

6.59%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Salina, KS: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Salina, KS

$828 41.5% 37.1% $489

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Salina, KS

$398 19.9% 2% $8.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Salina, KS

$257 12.9% 26.9% $95

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Salina, KS

$273 13.7% 22.1% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Salina, KS

$125 6.2% 3.4% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Salina, KS

$72 3.6% 17% $15

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Salina, KS

$45 2.2% 23% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $762 in Salina, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 74% 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 $42.00 in Salina, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $398 per month, with Salina, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Salina, KS

🕒 Local time

01:28 1:28 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

47,707

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Salina, KS 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Salina, KS

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 Salina, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salina, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Salina, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 74% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $762 in Salina, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,997 in Salina, KS – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Salina, KS runs roughly 63% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,997 in Salina, KS versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Salina, KS but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Salina, KS 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.

Expats usually find Salina, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.