Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Topeka, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Topeka, KS: $1,901 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in Topeka, KS
Learn more

Topeka, KS Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Topeka, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,901

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Topeka, KS

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 Topeka, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,901 in Topeka, KS.

Austin, TX $2,698
Topeka, KS $1,901

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $2,863 in Topeka, KS.

Austin, TX $4,160
Topeka, KS $2,863

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $3,825 in Topeka, KS.

Austin, TX $5,622
Topeka, KS $3,825

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 42% more expensive than in Topeka, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Topeka, KS 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$13.27 $13.27

55.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$51.2 $51.2

65.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.03 $10.03

20.34%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.40 $3.40

61.18%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.35 $2.35

61.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.80 $1.80

37.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.46 $4.46

80.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.81 $8.81

0.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.86 $0.86

29.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.70 $2.70

37.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.94 $2.94

14.63%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.09 $4.09

5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$8.93 $8.93

47.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.26 $8.26

71.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$15.10 $15.10

8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.90 $4.90

-7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.59 $1.59

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.13 $5.13

-8.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.13 $4.13

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.48 $3.48

-25.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.61 $2.61

-9.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.85 $1.85

-4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.80 $0.80

167.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$9.17 $9.17

10.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$12.05 $12.05

26.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.85 $1.85

52.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.65 $1.65

108.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.91 $3.91

-60.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$49.53 $49.53

-17.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.70 $2.70

3.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.52 $1.52

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$33.60 $33.60

2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.88 $0.88

6.82%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

28.98%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.70%

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

$223 $223

$145 $145

53.07%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$47.02 $47.02

25.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$65.0 $65.0

8.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$44.11 $44.11

30.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$15.09 $15.09

9.54%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$13.38 $13.38

6.58%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$434 $434

248.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$38.71 $38.71

32.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$28.08 $28.08

57.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$89.7 $89.7

-3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$80.4 $80.4

29.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$792 $792

144.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$835 $835

57.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,283 $1,283

185.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,496 $1,496

71.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,443 $1,443

409.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,334 $1,334

134.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,708 $3,708

42.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.24

8.81%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Topeka, KS

$835 43.9% 36.5% $481

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Topeka, KS

$322 16.9% 20.8% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Topeka, KS

$257 13.5% 26.9% $95

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Topeka, KS

$234 12.3% 33.3% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Topeka, KS

$107 5.6% 17.4% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Topeka, KS

$71 3.7% 17.8% $15

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Topeka, KS

$75 4% 30.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $792 in Topeka, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 43% 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 $51.0 in Topeka, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $322 per month, with Topeka, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Topeka, KS

🕒 Local time

09:18 9:18 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

124,331

💱 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 Topeka, KS 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Topeka, KS

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 Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Topeka, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Topeka, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $792 in Topeka, KS. 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 $1,901 in Topeka, KS – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Topeka, KS runs roughly 21% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,901 in Topeka, KS versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Topeka, KS but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Topeka, KS 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 Topeka, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.