Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Streamwood, IL: $2,519 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 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
123

Cost of Living Index in Streamwood, IL
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Streamwood, IL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Streamwood, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Streamwood, 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 Streamwood, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,519 in Streamwood, IL.

Austin, TX $2,698
Streamwood, IL $2,519

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,740 in Streamwood, IL.

Austin, TX $4,160
Streamwood, IL $3,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,961 in Streamwood, IL.

Austin, TX $5,622
Streamwood, IL $4,961

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 7% more expensive than in Streamwood, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Streamwood, IL 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$19.86 $19.86

3.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$76.0 $76.0

11.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.94 $11.94

1.09%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.39 $5.39

1.67%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$3.04 $3.04

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.50 $2.50

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.85 $5.85

37.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$7.80 $7.80

13.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.93 $0.93

19.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.49 $3.49

6.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.93 $2.93

15.02%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.57 $3.57

21.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$10.14 $10.14

29.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.30 $11.30

25.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.36 $14.36

13.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.78 $4.78

-4.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.67 $1.67

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.46 $4.46

5.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.81 $4.81

-13.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.75 $2.75

-6.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.09 $3.09

-23.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.54 $1.54

14.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.49 $1.49

43.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.86 $10.86

-7.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$12.14 $12.14

25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.70 $1.70

65.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.38 $4.38

-21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.04 $2.04

-24.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$40.10 $40.10

2.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.08 $4.08

-31.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.05 $2.05

-21.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$44.25 $44.25

-22.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.09 $1.09

-13.76%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$25.0K $25.0K

36.18%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

6.36%

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

$223 $223

$173 $173

28.66%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$51.0 $51.0

15.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$54.9 $54.9

28.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$41.70 $41.70

38.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$8.19 $8.19

101.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$15.23 $15.23

-6.37%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,505 $1,505

0.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$23.3K $23.3K

-10.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$56.8 $56.8

-9.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$45.21 $45.21

-2.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$98.2 $98.2

-11.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$102 $102

2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,616 $1,616

20.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,287 $1,287

2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,495 $2,495

46.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,185 $2,185

17.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,723 $2,723

170.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,365 $2,365

32.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$7,119 $7,119

-25.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.43

5.60%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Streamwood, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Streamwood, IL

$1.3K 51.1% 2.2% $29

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Streamwood, IL

$356 14.1% 12.3% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Streamwood, IL

$279 11.1% 20.8% $73

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Streamwood, IL

$326 13% 6.7% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Streamwood, IL

$136 5.4% 5.3% $6.9

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Streamwood, IL

$72 2.9% 16.3% $14

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Streamwood, IL

$63 2.5% 8.1% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,616 in Streamwood, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Streamwood, IL pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $76.0 in Streamwood, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $356 per month, with Streamwood, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Streamwood, IL

🕒 Local time

22:17 10:17 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

37,535

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Streamwood, IL 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Streamwood, 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 Streamwood, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Streamwood, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Streamwood, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Streamwood, IL. 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 $1,616 in Streamwood, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,519 in Streamwood, IL – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Streamwood, IL runs roughly 2% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Streamwood, IL 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.

Expats usually find Streamwood, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.