Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Waterbury, CT

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $5,098 in Waterbury, CT, rent and utilities included – about $29,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
247

Cost of Living Index in Waterbury, CT
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Waterbury, CT Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Waterbury, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$5,098

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Waterbury, CT

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 Waterbury, CT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $5,098 in Waterbury, CT.

Austin, TX $2,607
Waterbury, CT $5,098

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $6,890 in Waterbury, CT.

Austin, TX $4,031
Waterbury, CT $6,890

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $8,683 in Waterbury, CT.

Austin, TX $5,454
Waterbury, CT $8,683

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 49% less than in Waterbury, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Waterbury, CT 275% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$28.49 $28.49

-28.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$95.0 $95.0

-10.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.24 $9.24

31.17%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.04 $5.04

12.10%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.99 $3.99

-7.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.97 $2.97

-20.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.85 $7.85

0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$9.19 $9.19

-4.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.38 $1.38

-17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$5.12 $5.12

-27.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$7.63 $7.63

-56.62%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$6.13 $6.13

-32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$19.16 $19.16

-32.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$17.69 $17.69

-21.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$19.08 $19.08

-14.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.81 $6.81

-31.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.39 $2.39

-39.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.50 $6.50

-21.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$6.95 $6.95

-34.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.22 $4.22

-27.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$4.71 $4.71

-49.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.88 $2.88

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.67 $2.67

-16.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$19.23 $19.23

-48.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.20 $15.20

-0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.32 $3.32

-12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.10 $4.10

-18.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.76 $1.76

-30.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$63.1 $63.1

-35.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.91 $2.91

-4.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.12 $2.12

-22.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$41.23 $41.23

-14.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.94 $0.94

1.06%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-2.34%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.79%

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

$223 $223

$217 $217

2.60%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$74.5 $74.5

-21.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$69.9 $69.9

1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$52.2 $52.2

1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$21.97 $21.97

-36.00%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,324 $1,324

10.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$60.7K $60.7K

-64.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$40.50 $40.50

29.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$45.89 $45.89

-6.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$78.7 $78.7

9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$142 $142

-26.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,834 $1,834

15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$3,464 $3,464

-64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,563 $2,563

50.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$5,009 $5,009

-51.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,490 $3,490

48.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.73

1.34%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Waterbury, CT: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Waterbury, CT

$3.5K 67.9% 182% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Waterbury, CT

$553 10.9% 35% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Waterbury, CT

$362 7.1% 2.6% $9.2

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Waterbury, CT

$402 7.9% 15.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Waterbury, CT

$138 2.7% 7.5% $9.7

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Waterbury, CT

$96 1.9% 18.5% $15

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Waterbury, CT

$84 1.6% 48.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,834 in Waterbury, CT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $95 in Waterbury, CT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $553 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Waterbury, CT

🕒 Local time

20:56 8:56 PM

21:56 9:56 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

110,366

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Waterbury, CT 2,540 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Waterbury, CT

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 Waterbury, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Waterbury, CT. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 48% 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 $1,834 in Waterbury, CT. 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 $5,098 in Waterbury, CT – Austin, TX is about 49% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 36% less than in Waterbury, CT. 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.