Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Schaumburg, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Schaumburg, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $3,307 in Schaumburg, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $4,509 in Schaumburg, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $5,711 in Schaumburg, IL.

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 18% less than in Schaumburg, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Schaumburg, IL 147% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$15.16 $15.16

31.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$98.1 $98.1

-22.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$13.07 $13.07

-22.49%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.86 $4.86

12.96%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.60 $2.60

4.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.31 $2.31

-7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.60 $4.60

31.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$6.06 $6.06

32.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.82 $0.82

32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.99 $3.99

-16.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$7.66 $7.66

-55.35%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.08 $4.08

5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$14.75 $14.75

-20.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$13.85 $13.85

-22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$17.90 $17.90

-18.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$5.34 $5.34

-10.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$3.03 $3.03

-50.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.81 $4.81

-6.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.15 $4.15

-2.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.35 $3.35

-17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.24 $3.24

-13.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.01 $2.01

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.44 $3.44

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$17.92 $17.92

-48.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$19.47 $19.47

-23.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.78 $1.78

28.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$5.47 $5.47

-35.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.96 $1.96

-22.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.55 $3.55

20.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.66 $1.66

9.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$29.71 $29.71

19.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.90 $0.90

-14.44%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.4K $26.4K

-2.91%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$29.4K $29.4K

-10.60%

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

$172 $172

$333 $333

-48.29%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$77.3 $77.3

-22.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$161 $161

-58.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$62.3 $62.3

0.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

$40.13 $40.13

-75.45%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$19.73 $19.73

-25.34%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$1,279 $1,279

9.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$82.4K $82.4K

-73.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$73.0 $73.0

-24.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$50.7 $50.7

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$101 $101

-14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$118 $118

-2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,904 $1,904

17.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$1,678 $1,678

-16.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,559 $2,559

47.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,375 $2,375

13.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$2,159 $2,159

238.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,068 $2,068

61.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

$4,871 $4,871

0.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.36

1.42%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for Schaumburg, IL: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,904 in Schaumburg, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $98 in Schaumburg, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $472 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 Schaumburg, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Schaumburg, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Austin, TX pays 1% more on average, 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: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,904 in Schaumburg, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $1,279 in Schaumburg, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $98.0 in Schaumburg, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,719 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Schaumburg, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Schaumburg, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.