Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and University Place, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,689 a month against $2,876 in University Place, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. The total is higher in University Place, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in University Place, WA
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University Place, WA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

University Place, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in University Place, WA

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 University Place, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $2,876 in University Place, WA.

Austin, TX $2,689
University Place, WA $2,876

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $4,279 in University Place, WA.

Austin, TX $4,112
University Place, WA $4,279

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $5,682 in University Place, WA.

Austin, TX $5,534
University Place, WA $5,682

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 6% less than in University Place, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, University Place, WA 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$23.38 $23.38

-8.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$101 $101

-12.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$12.15 $12.15

2.39%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.08 $6.08

-7.89%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$3.12 $3.12

16.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.14 $3.14

-23.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$7.93 $7.93

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$7.86 $7.86

11.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.10 $1.10

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$4.05 $4.05

-10.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.95 $5.95

-41.18%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$4.97 $4.97

-10.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$16.11 $16.11

-18.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$18.19 $18.19

-23.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$23.33 $23.33

-29.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$5.91 $5.91

-19.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.77 $1.77

-15.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$5.55 $5.55

-16.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.48 $4.48

0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.48 $3.48

-26.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.82 $2.82

-15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.96 $1.96

-6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.06 $3.06

-30.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$12.43 $12.43

-19.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.17 $18.17

-18.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.75 $1.75

61.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.95 $4.95

-33.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.13 $2.13

-42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$65.8 $65.8

-37.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.66 $2.66

0.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.70 $1.70

-4.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$30.49 $30.49

15.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.45 $1.45

-32.41%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$27.9K $27.9K

23.22%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

1.22%

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

$252 $252

$233 $233

8.24%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$68.7 $68.7

-12.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$88.6 $88.6

-21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$39.56 $39.56

52.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$17.88 $17.88

-23.10%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$2,087 $2,087

-30.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.9K $27.9K

-4.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$60.3 $60.3

-12.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$44.90 $44.90

1.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$130 $130

-34.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$127 $127

-17.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,573 $1,573

39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,280 $1,280

-0.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$2,599 $2,599

53.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$2,111 $2,111

13.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$2,918 $2,918

152.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$2,644 $2,644

12.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$8,149 $8,149

-38.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.64

2.71%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for University Place, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

University Place, WA

$1.3K 44.5% 0.9% $11

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

University Place, WA

$505 17.6% 23.9% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

University Place, WA

$390 13.6% 2.3% $8.6

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

University Place, WA

$377 13.1% 5.8% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

University Place, WA

$163 5.7% 25.1% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

University Place, WA

$75 2.6% 14.3% $13

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

University Place, WA

$85 3% 49.4% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $1,573 in University Place, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

University Place, WA pays 62% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $101 in University Place, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $505 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 University Place, WA

🕒 Local time

11:21 11:21 AM

09:21 9:21 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

34,866

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX University Place, WA 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
University Place, WA

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 University Place, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in University Place, WA. 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 38% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $1,573 in University Place, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,876 in University Place, WA – Austin, TX is about 6% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 37% less than in University Place, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, University Place, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.