Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and The Villages, FL Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and The Villages, FL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,623 in The Villages, FL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,104 in Austin, TX versus $3,743 in The Villages, FL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,490 in Austin, TX versus $4,864 in The Villages, FL.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 4% more expensive than The Villages, FL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, The Villages, FL 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 $19.36

$20.20 $20.20

-4.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$39.84 $39.84

84.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$10.95 $10.95

-6.94%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.93 $4.93

15.82%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$1.70 $1.70

55.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.02 $2.02

8.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$4.92 $4.92

20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$10.34 $10.34

-21.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.23 $1.23

-11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$4.33 $4.33

-21.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.70 $3.70

-9.73%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$4.15 $4.15

6.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 $11.87

$12.13 $12.13

-2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$11.38 $11.38

-5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$15.48 $15.48

-7.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$4.77 $4.77

1.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.71 $1.71

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$7.98 $7.98

-42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$4.80 $4.80

-17.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.90 $2.90

-1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.91 $2.91

-4.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.90 $1.90

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.20 $2.20

0.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.07 $9.07

$9.81 $9.81

-7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$15.18 $15.18

-1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.84 $1.84

24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.33 $3.33

2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.63 $42.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 $4.32

$3.42 $3.42

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.57 $1.57

13.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.51 $34.51

$29.10 $29.10

18.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$0.83 $0.83

-9.64%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$29.8K $29.8K

-15.42%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.6K $27.6K

-3.69%

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

$176 $176

$189 $189

-7.25%

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

$59.6 $59.6

$52.3 $52.3

14.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$50.3 $50.3

33.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 $62.4

$43.08 $43.08

44.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.96 $9.96

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 $15.04

$13.23 $13.23

13.68%

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

$1,387 $1,387

$1,291 $1,291

7.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$23.6K $23.6K

-5.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$50.2 $50.2

12.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.71 $46.71

$39.86 $39.86

17.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$59.0 $59.0

46.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$111 $111

7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,174 $2,174

$1,588 $1,588

36.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 $1,439

$1,348 $1,348

6.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,754 $3,754

$3,282 $3,282

14.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 $2,698

$2,237 $2,237

20.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,033 $7,033

$2,655 $2,655

164.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,113 $3,113

$2,406 $2,406

29.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,081 $5,081

$6,455 $6,455

-21.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.96

8.22%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: June 8, 2026

Last update for The Villages, FL: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,174 in Austin, TX and $1,588 in The Villages, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Villages, FL pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Austin, TX vs $40.00 in The Villages, FL. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $412, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

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 The Villages, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Villages, FL wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making The Villages, FL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, The Villages, FL earns 27% less. 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: $2,174 in Austin, TX versus $1,588 in The Villages, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,387 in Austin, TX versus $1,291 in The Villages, FL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in The Villages, FL – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $74.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,623 in The Villages, FL versus $2,719 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in The Villages, FL but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes The Villages, FL 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 The Villages, FL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.