Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Washington, DC

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,916 in Washington, DC, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
188

Cost of Living Index in Washington, DC
Learn more

Washington, DC Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Washington, DC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,916

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Washington, DC

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 Washington, DC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $3,916 in Washington, DC.

Austin, TX $2,607
Washington, DC $3,916

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $6,027 in Washington, DC.

Austin, TX $4,031
Washington, DC $6,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $8,138 in Washington, DC.

Austin, TX $5,454
Washington, DC $8,138

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 33% less than in Washington, DC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Washington, DC 188% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$25.10 $25.10

-18.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$109 $109

-22.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.77 $11.77

2.97%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.96 $5.96

-5.20%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.25 $3.25

13.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.63 $2.63

-10.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$9.16 $9.16

-14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$9.92 $9.92

-11.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.34 $1.34

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.16 $4.16

-11.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$7.11 $7.11

-53.45%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.57 $5.57

-25.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$16.91 $16.91

-23.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$17.11 $17.11

-18.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$18.48 $18.48

-11.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$7.13 $7.13

-34.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.28 $2.28

-36.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.99 $4.99

2.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.97 $5.97

-24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.80 $2.80

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.89 $3.89

-38.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.67 $2.67

-32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.65 $2.65

-16.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$13.78 $13.78

-27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$16.26 $16.26

-7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.34 $3.34

-12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$5.79 $5.79

-42.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.99 $2.99

-59.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$118 $118

-65.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.94 $3.94

-29.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.60 $1.60

3.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$24.78 $24.78

42.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.10 $1.10

-13.64%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$35.1K $35.1K

-2.60%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.50%

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

$223 $223

$207 $207

7.78%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$80.6 $80.6

-27.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$76.7 $76.7

-7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$102 $102

-48.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$72.8 $72.8

-76.99%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$17.93 $17.93

-21.58%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$2,990 $2,990

-51.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$42.0K $42.0K

-49.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$72.8 $72.8

-27.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$44.32 $44.32

-3.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$102 $102

-15.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$124 $124

-16.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$2,768 $2,768

-23.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$2,205 $2,205

-44.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$4,965 $4,965

-22.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$4,186 $4,186

-42.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$7,626 $7,626

-2.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$3,793 $3,793

-19.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$6,454 $6,454

-19.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.63

2.87%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Washington, DC: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Washington, DC

$2.2K 56.3% 79.2% $975

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Washington, DC

$516 13.2% 25.9% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Washington, DC

$364 9.3% 3.3% $12

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Washington, DC

$397 10.1% 14% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Washington, DC

$154 3.9% 20.2% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Washington, DC

$138 3.5% 70.2% $57

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Washington, DC

$142 3.6% 151% $85

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $2,768 in Washington, DC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 25% 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 in Austin, TX vs $109 in Washington, DC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $516 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Washington, DC

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

23:16 11:16 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

672,228 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Washington, DC 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Washington, DC

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 Washington, DC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Washington, DC. 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 20% 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $2,768 in Washington, DC. 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 $3,916 in Washington, DC – Austin, TX is about 33% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 66% less than in Washington, DC. 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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Washington, DC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.