Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Waterloo, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Waterloo, IA: $1,807 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 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
87

Cost of Living Index in Waterloo, IA
Learn more

Waterloo, IA Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Waterloo, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,807

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Waterloo, IA

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 Waterloo, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $1,807 in Waterloo, IA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Waterloo, IA $1,807

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,550 in Waterloo, IA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Waterloo, IA $2,550

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,294 in Waterloo, IA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Waterloo, IA $3,294

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 44% more expensive than in Waterloo, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Waterloo, IA 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$16.11 $16.11

26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$56.4 $56.4

50.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$8.91 $8.91

36.03%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.81 $5.81

-2.75%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.67 $2.67

37.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.95 $1.95

21.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$3.92 $3.92

100.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.82 $7.82

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.97 $0.97

17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.40 $2.40

53.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.74 $1.74

90.23%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.61 $3.61

14.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$13.41 $13.41

-3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$13.36 $13.36

3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$17.38 $17.38

-5.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.70 $4.70

-0.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.53 $1.53

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.87 $3.87

32.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.43 $4.43

2.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.14 $1.14

170.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.21 $2.21

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.97 $1.97

-8.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.57 $1.57

41.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.25 $8.25

20.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.98 $13.98

7.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.71 $2.71

7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.77 $1.77

88.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.04 $4.04

-31.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.03 $2.03

-18.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$44.55 $44.55

-20.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 $1.01

-5.94%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$31.0K $31.0K

10.36%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.86%

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

$223 $223

$152 $152

46.88%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$52.8 $52.8

10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$60.8 $60.8

17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$26.92 $26.92

97.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$15.19 $15.19

-7.44%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,662 $1,662

-12.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$23.7K $23.7K

-10.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$19.83 $19.83

164.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$15.15 $15.15

182.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$58.9 $58.9

46.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$79.2 $79.2

31.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$850 $850

148.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$749 $749

64.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,359 $1,359

184.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$973 $973

147.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,582 $1,582

369.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,530 $1,530

99.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,801 $3,801

36.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.69

1.94%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Waterloo, IA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Waterloo, IA

$749 41.5% 39.1% $481

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Waterloo, IA

$364 20.2% 11.1% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Waterloo, IA

$265 14.7% 24.7% $87

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Waterloo, IA

$279 15.4% 19.8% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Waterloo, IA

$78 4.3% 39.4% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Waterloo, IA

$57 3.2% 29.4% $24

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Waterloo, IA

$14 * 0.8% 74.9% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $850 in Waterloo, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 36% 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 $56 in Waterloo, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $364 per month, with Waterloo, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Waterloo, IA

🕒 Local time

23:01 11:01 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

67,314

💱 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 Waterloo, IA 1,440 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Waterloo, IA

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 Waterloo, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waterloo, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Waterloo, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 36% 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 $850 in Waterloo, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,662 in Waterloo, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Waterloo, IA – a meal for two runs $56 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,807 in Waterloo, IA versus $2,607 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waterloo, IA but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Waterloo, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 – Waterloo, IA wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.