Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sioux City, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sioux City, IA: $2,168 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Sioux City, IA
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Sioux City, IA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,168

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Sioux City, IA

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 Sioux City, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,168 in Sioux City, IA.

Austin, TX $2,663
Sioux City, IA $2,168

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,305 in Sioux City, IA.

Austin, TX $4,133
Sioux City, IA $3,305

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,442 in Sioux City, IA.

Austin, TX $5,603
Sioux City, IA $4,442

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 23% more expensive than in Sioux City, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Sioux City, IA 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$20.33 $20.33

2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$56.0 $56.0

51.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.65 $10.65

15.68%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$6.14 $6.14

-8.31%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.11 $2.11

76.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.77 $1.77

41.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.07 $5.07

58.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.61 $5.61

60.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.87 $0.87

28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.92 $2.92

28.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.38 $3.38

-3.55%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.60 $3.60

15.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$7.92 $7.92

62.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$7.58 $7.58

86.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$16.77 $16.77

-3.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.74 $4.74

-8.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.52 $1.52

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.02 $4.02

12.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.96 $3.96

9.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.99 $1.99

29.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.87 $4.87

-51.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.38 $2.38

-25.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.13 $2.13

4.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$8.94 $8.94

10.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.12 $15.12

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.70 $1.70

71.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.08 $3.08

12.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.77 $1.77

-15.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$47.88 $47.88

-12.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.97 $1.97

38.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.20 $1.20

38.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$19.61 $19.61

80.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.91 $0.91

4.40%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.4K $35.4K

1.87%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.0K $25.0K

8.10%

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

$229 $229

$167 $167

37.39%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$52.4 $52.4

13.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$69.0 $69.0

1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$98.8 $98.8

-42.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$20.08 $20.08

-18.68%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$15.05 $15.05

-5.12%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,098 $1,098

37.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$12.0K $12.0K

79.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$43.40 $43.40

21.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$21.73 $21.73

101.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$77.2 $77.2

9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$89.3 $89.3

15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$923 $923

106.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$922 $922

38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,481 $1,481

147.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,743 $1,743

45.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,546 $1,546

392.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,546 $1,546

104.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,592 $3,592

42.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.57

3.35%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sioux City, IA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Sioux City, IA

$922 42.5% 27.7% $353

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Sioux City, IA

$342 15.8% 15.4% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Sioux City, IA

$288 13.3% 19.6% $70

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Sioux City, IA

$320 14.8% 9.5% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Sioux City, IA

$104 4.8% 18.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Sioux City, IA

$129 5.9% 50.2% $43

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Sioux City, IA

$63 2.9% 7.3% $4.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $923 in Sioux City, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 43% 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 $56.0 in Sioux City, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $342 per month, with Sioux City, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA

🕒 Local time

10:52 10:52 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

85,797

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Sioux City, IA 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Sioux City, IA

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 Sioux City, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sioux City, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sioux City, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $923 in Sioux City, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,168 in Sioux City, IA – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sioux City, IA runs roughly 15% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,168 in Sioux City, IA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sioux City, IA but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sioux City, IA 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 Sioux City, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.