Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Virginia Beach, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Virginia Beach, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,659 in Austin, TX versus $2,665 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,101 in Austin, TX versus $4,087 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,542 in Austin, TX versus $5,509 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Virginia Beach, VA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 98% above, Virginia Beach, VA 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$20.16 $20.16

-2.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$89.5 $89.5

-16.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$11.03 $11.03

-10.06%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$5.50 $5.50

3.09%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$2.70 $2.70

2.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.43 $2.43

-10.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$5.90 $5.90

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$7.04 $7.04

10.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.92 $0.92

18.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.09 $3.09

10.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.43 $5.43

-36.83%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$3.58 $3.58

22.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$11.61 $11.61

2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$6.64 $6.64

62.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 $14.29

$15.98 $15.98

-10.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.54 $2.54

90.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.48 $1.48

4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.70 $2.70

65.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.20 $4.20

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.24 $2.24

22.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.12 $3.12

-12.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.77 $1.77

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 $8.93

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$12.12 $12.12

22.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.75 $1.75

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.19 $2.19

63.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.03 $2.03

-27.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

$70.0 $70.0

-38.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.61 $4.61

-7.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.32 $1.32

39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.54 $35.54

$19.72 $19.72

80.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.88 $0.88

-18.18%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$31.5K $31.5K

-18.42%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.70%

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

$174 $174

$168 $168

3.24%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$48.49 $48.49

24.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 $66.3

$66.7 $66.7

-0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$50.3 $50.3

24.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

$34.54 $34.54

-71.54%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$12.12 $12.12

25.74%

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

$1,387 $1,387

$1,650 $1,650

-15.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$16.4K $16.4K

35.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$63.2 $63.2

-10.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 $45.34

$46.75 $46.75

-3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$118 $118

-26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$142 $142

-16.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,247 $2,247

$1,700 $1,700

32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$1,326 $1,326

7.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,778 $3,778

$2,959 $2,959

27.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,641 $2,641

$2,672 $2,672

-1.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

$2,268 $2,268

210.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,162 $3,162

$2,314 $2,314

36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,108 $5,108

$4,284 $4,284

19.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.55

-1.53%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Last update for Virginia Beach, VA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,247 in Austin, TX and $1,700 in Virginia Beach, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 19% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $75.0 in Austin, TX vs $89.0 in Virginia Beach, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $330, with Virginia Beach, VA 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 Virginia Beach, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX pays 19% more on average, 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: $2,247 in Austin, TX versus $1,700 in Virginia Beach, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,387 in Austin, TX versus $1,650 in Virginia Beach, VA. 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 $75.0 versus $89.0 in Virginia Beach, VA. 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.

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