Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Somerset, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Somerset, KY: $1,591 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
77

Cost of Living Index in Somerset, KY
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Somerset, KY Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Somerset, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,591

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Somerset, KY

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 Somerset, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,591 in Somerset, KY.

Austin, TX $2,698
Somerset, KY $1,591

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $2,440 in Somerset, KY.

Austin, TX $4,160
Somerset, KY $2,440

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $3,289 in Somerset, KY.

Austin, TX $5,622
Somerset, KY $3,289

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 70% more expensive than in Somerset, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Somerset, KY 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$14.84 $14.84

39.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$49.92 $49.92

69.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$8.42 $8.42

43.35%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.11 $4.11

33.33%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.30 $2.30

65.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.65 $1.65

49.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.45 $3.45

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$4.08 $4.08

117.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.88 $0.88

26.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.83 $2.83

31.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.80 $3.80

-11.32%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.22 $4.22

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$6.80 $6.80

93.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.59 $8.59

64.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$13.43 $13.43

21.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.65 $5.65

-19.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.18 $1.18

23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.36 $4.36

8.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.81 $4.81

-13.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.63 $2.63

-1.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.18 $3.18

-26.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.96 $1.96

-9.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.54 $1.54

38.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$5.83 $5.83

73.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$12.04 $12.04

26.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.16 $2.16

30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.52 $1.52

126.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.80 $1.80

-14.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.70 $3.70

-24.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.22 $1.22

31.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$24.77 $24.77

38.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.98 $0.98

-4.08%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$25.3K $25.3K

34.45%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.43%

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

$223 $223

$150 $150

48.51%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$78.2 $78.2

-24.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$71.4 $71.4

-1.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$41.93 $41.93

37.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$8.08 $8.08

76.49%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$648 $648

133.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$19.3K $19.3K

8.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$24.53 $24.53

109.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$30.24 $30.24

46.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$55.7 $55.7

56.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$101 $101

3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$618 $618

213.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$559 $559

135.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,072 $1,072

241.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,064 $1,064

141.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,734 $2,734

169.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,404 $2,404

30.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,640 $4,640

13.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

35.80%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Somerset, KY: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Somerset, KY

$559 35.1% 57.5% $757

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Somerset, KY

$328 20.6% 19.2% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Somerset, KY

$300 18.8% 14.9% $53

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Somerset, KY

$235 14.7% 33% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Somerset, KY

$95 6% 26.4% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Somerset, KY

$58 3.7% 32.6% $28

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Somerset, KY

$17 * 1.1% 70.6% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $618 in Somerset, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 14% 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 $50.0 in Somerset, KY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $328 per month, with Somerset, KY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Somerset, KY

🕒 Local time

02:37 2:37 AM

03:37 3:37 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

11,924

💱 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 Somerset, KY 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Somerset, KY

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 Somerset, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset, KY wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Somerset, KY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 14% 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 $618 in Somerset, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $648 in Somerset, KY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Somerset, KY – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,591 in Somerset, KY versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Somerset, KY but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Somerset, KY 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 Somerset, KY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.