Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and South Bend, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in South Bend, IN: $1,850 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in South Bend, IN
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South Bend, IN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

South Bend, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,850

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in South Bend, IN

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 South Bend, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $1,850 in South Bend, IN.

Austin, TX $2,607
South Bend, IN $1,850

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,800 in South Bend, IN.

Austin, TX $4,031
South Bend, IN $2,800

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,750 in South Bend, IN.

Austin, TX $5,454
South Bend, IN $3,750

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 41% more expensive than in South Bend, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, South Bend, IN 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$15.26 $15.26

33.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$60.6 $60.6

39.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$8.20 $8.20

47.80%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$4.41 $4.41

28.12%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.81 $1.81

103.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.63 $1.63

44.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.88 $5.88

33.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$4.86 $4.86

81.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.81 $0.81

40.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.59 $2.59

42.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.86 $2.86

15.73%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.92 $2.92

42.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$9.63 $9.63

34.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$10.07 $10.07

37.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$9.16 $9.16

78.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.78 $2.78

68.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.31 $1.31

10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.49 $2.49

105.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.28 $1.28

253.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.95 $1.95

57.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.56 $1.56

52.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.42 $1.42

26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.02 $2.02

9.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.17 $8.17

22.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.32 $10.32

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.97 $1.97

47.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.60 $2.60

28.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.01 $1.01

20.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$35.61 $35.61

13.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.75 $4.75

-41.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.94 $1.94

-14.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$31.93 $31.93

10.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.93 $0.93

2.15%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.5K $27.5K

24.42%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.89%

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

$223 $223

$129 $129

72.65%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$42.58 $42.58

37.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$60.3 $60.3

17.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$22.83 $22.83

132.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$25.49 $25.49

-34.29%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$14.02 $14.02

0.29%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$909 $909

60.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$20.7K $20.7K

3.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$49.07 $49.07

6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$30.08 $30.08

42.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$98.5 $98.5

-12.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$115 $115

-9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,491 $1,491

41.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$853 $853

44.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$3,572 $3,572

8.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,510 $1,510

59.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,927 $1,927

285.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,525 $1,525

100.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,258 $3,258

58.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.36

7.23%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for South Bend, IN: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

South Bend, IN

$853 46.1% 30.7% $378

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

South Bend, IN

$276 14.9% 32.5% $133

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

South Bend, IN

$232 12.5% 34.2% $121

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

South Bend, IN

$253 13.7% 27.5% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

South Bend, IN

$132 7.1% 2.5% $3.2

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

South Bend, IN

$51 2.8% 37.3% $30

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

South Bend, IN

$54 2.9% 4.2% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,491 in South Bend, IN. 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 $61 in South Bend, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $276 per month, with South Bend, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 South Bend, IN

🕒 Local time

15:14 3:14 PM

16:14 4:14 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

103,453

💱 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 South Bend, IN 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
South Bend, IN

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 South Bend, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Bend, IN wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making South Bend, IN 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 $1,491 in South Bend, IN. 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 $1,850 in South Bend, IN – South Bend, IN is about 29% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in South Bend, IN runs roughly 12% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though South Bend, IN gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, South Bend, IN 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.

Expats usually find South Bend, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.