Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Springfield, IL: $2,663 and $2,641 a month, rent and utilities included.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, IL
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Springfield, IL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Springfield, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Springfield, IL

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 Springfield, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,641 in Springfield, IL.

Austin, TX $2,663
Springfield, IL $2,641

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,964 in Springfield, IL.

Austin, TX $4,133
Springfield, IL $3,964

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $5,286 in Springfield, IL.

Austin, TX $5,603
Springfield, IL $5,286

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 1% more expensive than in Springfield, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Springfield, IL 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$14.61 $14.61

42.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$42.89 $42.89

97.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.13 $10.13

21.62%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.20 $5.20

8.27%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.95 $1.95

90.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.58 $1.58

58.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.94 $2.94

173.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.08 $4.08

120.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.75 $0.75

49.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.32 $3.32

12.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$8.91 $8.91

-63.41%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.09 $3.09

34.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$19.08 $19.08

-32.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$17.06 $17.06

-17.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$32.40 $32.40

-49.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$8.62 $8.62

-49.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.24 $1.24

17.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$8.64 $8.64

-47.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.54 $5.54

-21.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.24 $3.24

-20.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.48 $4.48

-47.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.97 $1.97

-9.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.63 $1.63

36.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$9.90 $9.90

-0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$11.03 $11.03

36.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.24 $1.24

135.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.62 $1.62

113.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.24 $1.24

20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$39.50 $39.50

5.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$5.68 $5.68

-51.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.09 $1.09

52.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$18.14 $18.14

94.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.4K $36.4K

-0.98%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.38%

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

$229 $229

$233 $233

-1.58%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$93.2 $93.2

-36.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$64.9 $64.9

7.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$49.49 $49.49

15.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$19.74 $19.74

-17.27%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$12.57 $12.57

13.60%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$931 $931

61.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$105 $105

-49.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$54.9 $54.9

-20.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$125 $125

-32.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$138 $138

-25.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$915 $915

108.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,164 $1,164

9.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,889 $1,889

94.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$2,158 $2,158

17.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$3,133 $3,133

143.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,184 $1,184

166.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,882 $3,882

31.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.55

3.66%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Springfield, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Springfield, IL

$1.2K 44.1% 8.6% $110

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Springfield, IL

$519 19.6% 28.2% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Springfield, IL

$391 14.8% 9.1% $32

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Springfield, IL

$247 9.3% 30.3% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Springfield, IL

$191 7.2% 49% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Springfield, IL

$75 2.8% 13% $11

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Springfield, IL

$56 2.1% 5.4% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $915 in Springfield, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 32% 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 $43.00 in Springfield, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $519, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Springfield, IL

🕒 Local time

15:59 3:59 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

116,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Springfield, IL 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Springfield, IL

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 Springfield, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Springfield, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Springfield, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 32% 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 $915 in Springfield, IL. 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 $2,641 in Springfield, IL – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Springfield, IL runs roughly 6% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,641 in Springfield, IL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Springfield, IL but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Springfield, IL 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 Springfield, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.