Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Watford City, ND

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Watford City, ND: $2,607 and $2,550 a month, rent and utilities included.

Austin, TX, United States
Watford City, ND, United States
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Watford City, ND
🇺🇸 United States
$2,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Watford City, ND

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 Watford City, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,550 in Watford City, ND.

  • Austin, TX $2,607
  • Watford City, ND $2,550

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,892 in Watford City, ND.

  • Austin, TX $4,031
  • Watford City, ND $3,892

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,233 in Watford City, ND.

  • Austin, TX $5,454
  • Watford City, ND $5,233

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Watford City, ND; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Watford City, ND 87% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.35 $20.35
$22.64 $22.64
-10.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.7 $84.7
$68.2 $68.2
24.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.12 $12.12
$10.33 $10.33
17.33%
Cappuccino
$5.65 $5.65
$5.27 $5.27
7.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 $3.68
$2.91 $2.91
26.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.24 $2.24
5.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.87 $7.87
$5.47 $5.47
43.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.82 $8.82
$7.02 $7.02
25.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.06 $1.06
7.55%
White Bread (500g)
$3.69 $3.69
$3.53 $3.53
4.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$4.34 $4.34
-23.73%
Eggs
$4.15 $4.15
$4.06 $4.06
2.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.98 $12.98
$12.56 $12.56
3.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.86 $13.86
$11.72 $11.72
18.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.34 $16.34
$16.76 $16.76
-2.51%
Apples (1kg)
$4.69 $4.69
$5.04 $5.04
-6.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.58 $1.58
-8.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.11 $5.11
$4.43 $4.43
15.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$4.75 $4.75
-4.84%
Potato (1kg)
$3.08 $3.08
$2.82 $2.82
9.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.38 $2.38
$3.12 $3.12
-23.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.90 $1.90
-5.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.92 $1.92
15.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.97 $9.97
$8.80 $8.80
13.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.05 $15.05
$14.21 $14.21
5.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.91 $2.91
$1.67 $1.67
74.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 $3.33
$3.40 $3.40
-2.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 $1.22
$2.27 $2.27
-46.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.53 $40.53
$57.3 $57.3
-29.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.78 $2.78
$3.38 $3.38
-17.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.61 $1.61
2.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.39 $35.39
$26.13 $26.13
35.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.03 $1.03
-7.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K $34.2K
$31.6K $31.6K
8.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$27.4K $27.4K
-2.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$222 $222
0.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.5 $58.5
$53.1 $53.1
10.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.2 $71.2
$74.1 $74.1
-3.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.0 $53.0
$45.68 $45.68
16.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.75 $16.75
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.06 $14.06
$14.18 $14.18
-0.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,459 $1,459
$1,531 $1,531
-4.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.3K $21.3K
$25.4K $25.4K
-15.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.5 $52.5
$49.74 $49.74
5.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.75 $42.75
$45.13 $45.13
-5.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.4 $86.4
$76.4 $76.4
13.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$108 $108
-3.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,112 $2,112
$1,581 $1,581
33.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 $1,230
$1,195 $1,195
2.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,863 $3,863
$2,778 $2,778
39.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,407 $2,407
$2,313 $2,313
4.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,426 $7,426
$3,070 $3,070
141.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,060 $3,060
$2,077 $2,077
47.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Watford City, ND
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,179 $5,179
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.57
3.81%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Watford City, ND: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.2K
Watford City, ND
$1.2K 2.9% $35
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$410
Watford City, ND
$391 4.5% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$353
Watford City, ND
$349 1% $3.5
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Watford City, ND
$337 3.1% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Watford City, ND
$126 2.3% $2.9
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$81
Watford City, ND
$74 8.8% $7.1
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$56
Watford City, ND
$78 37.9% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,581 in Watford City, ND. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $68 in Watford City, ND for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $391 per month, with Watford City, ND cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Watford City, ND
🕒 Local time
08:05 8:05 AM
08:05 8:05 AM
Same time as Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
6,200
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Watford City, ND 2,010 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Watford City, ND

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 Watford City, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Watford City, ND?
You’d need roughly $3,911 in Austin, TX and $3,826 in Watford City, ND to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Watford City, ND?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,581 in Watford City, ND. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Watford City, ND?
Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,531 in Watford City, ND. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Watford City, ND?
Dining out is cheaper in Watford City, ND – a meal for two runs $68 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Austin, TX or in Watford City, ND?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Watford City, ND gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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