Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Waco, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Waco, TX: $2,147 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,147

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Waco, TX

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 Waco, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,147 in Waco, TX.

Austin, TX $2,607
Waco, TX $2,147

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,955 in Waco, TX.

Austin, TX $4,031
Waco, TX $2,955

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,763 in Waco, TX.

Austin, TX $5,454
Waco, TX $3,763

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 21% more expensive than in Waco, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Waco, TX 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$15.17 $15.17

34.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$59.4 $59.4

42.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$12.10 $12.10

0.17%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.62 $5.62

0.53%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.80 $1.80

104.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.49 $1.49

58.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.90 $4.90

60.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$5.42 $5.42

62.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.77 $0.77

48.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.34 $3.34

10.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.06 $2.06

60.68%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.87 $2.87

44.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$12.05 $12.05

7.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.72 $9.72

42.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$11.86 $11.86

37.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.78 $3.78

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.16 $1.16

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.82 $3.82

33.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.71 $3.71

21.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.38 $2.38

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.96 $2.96

-19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.78 $1.78

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.02 $1.02

117.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.11 $10.11

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.70 $13.70

9.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.75 $1.75

66.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.88 $3.88

-14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.47 $1.47

-17.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$39.46 $39.46

2.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$10.06 $10.06

-72.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.83 $1.83

-9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$60.7 $60.7

-41.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.84 $0.84

13.10%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.2K $27.2K

25.68%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.59%

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

$223 $223

$180 $180

23.83%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$40.07 $40.07

45.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$54.3 $54.3

31.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$23.65 $23.65

124.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$8.86 $8.86

58.69%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$760 $760

91.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$17.7K $17.7K

20.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$48.06 $48.06

9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$38.56 $38.56

10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$82.8 $82.8

4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$94.6 $94.6

9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,227 $1,227

72.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,057 $1,057

16.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,388 $1,388

178.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,396 $1,396

72.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,583 $2,583

187.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,753 $1,753

74.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,230 $3,230

60.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.49

5.08%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Waco, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Waco, TX

$1.1K 49.2% 14.1% $174

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Waco, TX

$317 14.8% 22.6% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Waco, TX

$274 12.8% 22.2% $78

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Waco, TX

$274 12.7% 21.4% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Waco, TX

$119 5.5% 7.5% $9.6

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Waco, TX

$41 1.9% 49% $40

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Waco, TX

$65 3% 14.4% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,227 in Waco, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 60% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $59 in Waco, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $317 per month, with Waco, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🕒 Local time

12:43 12:43 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

138,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Waco, TX 150 km

From you

Austin, TX
Waco, TX

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 Waco, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waco, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Waco, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,227 in Waco, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,147 in Waco, TX – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Waco, TX runs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $2,147 in Waco, TX versus $2,607 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waco, TX but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Waco, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Waco, TX is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Waco, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.