Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Scranton, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Scranton, PA: $2,386 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 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
114

Cost of Living Index in Scranton, PA
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Scranton, PA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Scranton, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,386

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Scranton, PA

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 Scranton, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,386 in Scranton, PA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Scranton, PA $2,386

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,328 in Scranton, PA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Scranton, PA $3,328

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,270 in Scranton, PA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Scranton, PA $4,270

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 9% more expensive than in Scranton, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Scranton, PA 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$11.79 $11.79

72.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$77.1 $77.1

9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$6.01 $6.01

101.66%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$4.37 $4.37

29.29%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.52 $1.52

142.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.02 $1.02

131.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.71 $6.71

17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.69 $7.69

14.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.75 $0.75

52.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.38 $1.38

167.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.13 $2.13

55.40%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.31 $3.31

25.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.91 $10.91

18.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$8.67 $8.67

59.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$11.19 $11.19

46.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.67 $3.67

27.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.28 $1.28

13.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.36 $3.36

52.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.46 $4.46

1.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.01 $3.01

2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.24 $3.24

-26.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.02 $2.02

-10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.03 $1.03

115.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.28 $9.28

7.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.04 $12.04

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.93 $2.93

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.81 $4.81

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.78 $1.78

-31.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$60.6 $60.6

-33.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.22 $3.22

-13.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.00 $2.00

-17.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$24.65 $24.65

43.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.09 $1.09

-12.84%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

26.30%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.13%

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

$223 $223

$237 $237

-5.81%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$39.88 $39.88

46.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$49.44 $49.44

43.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$24.90 $24.90

113.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$15.78 $15.78

6.15%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$11.20 $11.20

25.54%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$769 $769

89.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$17.8K $17.8K

19.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$45.86 $45.86

14.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$30.04 $30.04

42.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$73.8 $73.8

17.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$84.0 $84.0

23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,274 $1,274

65.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,304 $1,304

-5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,143 $2,143

80.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,880 $1,880

28.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,703 $1,703

336.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,421 $1,421

115.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,250 $3,250

59.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.67

2.25%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Scranton, PA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Scranton, PA

$1.3K 54.7% 6% $73

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Scranton, PA

$299 12.5% 27.1% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Scranton, PA

$326 13.7% 7.5% $27

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Scranton, PA

$224 9.4% 35.7% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Scranton, PA

$105 4.4% 18.1% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Scranton, PA

$47 2% 41.7% $34

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Scranton, PA

$81 3.4% 43.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,274 in Scranton, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 59% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $77 in Scranton, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $299 per month, with Scranton, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Scranton, PA

🕒 Local time

20:31 8:31 PM

21:31 9:31 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

72,861

💱 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 Scranton, PA 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Scranton, PA

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 Scranton, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scranton, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Scranton, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 59% 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 $1,274 in Scranton, PA. 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 $2,386 in Scranton, PA – Scranton, PA is about 8% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 33% less than in Scranton, PA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

For families, Scranton, PA 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.

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