Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Staten Island, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $2,998 in Staten Island, NY, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Staten Island, NY
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Staten Island, NY Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Staten Island, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,998

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Staten Island, NY

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 Staten Island, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,998 in Staten Island, NY.

Austin, TX $2,698
Staten Island, NY $2,998

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $4,498 in Staten Island, NY.

Austin, TX $4,160
Staten Island, NY $4,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $5,998 in Staten Island, NY.

Austin, TX $5,622
Staten Island, NY $5,998

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 10% less than in Staten Island, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Staten Island, NY 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$23.72 $23.72

-13.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$88.8 $88.8

-4.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$13.47 $13.47

-10.39%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.54 $6.54

-16.21%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.67 $2.67

42.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.64 $1.64

50.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.83 $7.83

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.17 $8.17

8.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.24 $1.24

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.92 $4.92

-24.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$6.76 $6.76

-50.15%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$5.84 $5.84

-26.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$17.44 $17.44

-24.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$14.00 $14.00

1.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$19.21 $19.21

-14.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$6.79 $6.79

-32.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.49 $3.49

-58.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$6.09 $6.09

-22.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$6.81 $6.81

-39.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.09 $4.09

-36.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.30 $4.30

-45.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.78 $2.78

-36.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.85 $2.85

-24.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$17.80 $17.80

-43.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$14.73 $14.73

3.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.76 $1.76

60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.67 $3.67

-6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.98 $2.98

-48.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.02 $3.02

-7.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.21 $2.21

-27.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$42.69 $42.69

-19.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.15 $1.15

-18.26%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$32.6K $32.6K

4.35%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.84%

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

$223 $223

$213 $213

4.38%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$75.0 $75.0

-21.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$64.2 $64.2

10.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$115 $115

-49.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$20.36 $20.36

-29.96%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$2,001 $2,001

-24.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$16.3K $16.3K

28.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$71.9 $71.9

-28.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$37.12 $37.12

18.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$102 $102

-14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$106 $106

-1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,851 $1,851

4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,423 $1,423

-7.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$3,379 $3,379

8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,470 $2,470

3.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$6,817 $6,817

-22.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.8

-0.15%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Staten Island, NY: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Staten Island, NY

$1.4K 47.5% 8.1% $107

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Staten Island, NY

$517 17.3% 27.4% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Staten Island, NY

$352 11.8% 0.1% $0.3

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Staten Island, NY

$381 12.7% 8.9% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Staten Island, NY

$143 4.8% 10.6% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Staten Island, NY

$156 5.2% 80.4% $69

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Staten Island, NY

$26 * 0.9% 55.1% $32

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 $1,851 in Staten Island, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Staten Island, NY pays 29% 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 $89.0 in Staten Island, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $517 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Staten Island, NY

🕒 Local time

05:20 5:20 AM

06:20 6:20 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

495,747

💱 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 Staten Island, NY 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Staten Island, NY

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 Staten Island, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Staten Island, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Staten Island, NY. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,851 in Staten Island, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $2,001 in Staten Island, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $89.0 in Staten Island, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Staten Island, NY are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Staten Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.