Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Waukesha, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Waukesha, WI: $2,030 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
98

Cost of Living Index in Waukesha, WI
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Waukesha, WI Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Waukesha, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,030

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Waukesha, WI

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 Waukesha, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,030 in Waukesha, WI.

Austin, TX $2,698
Waukesha, WI $2,030

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $2,967 in Waukesha, WI.

Austin, TX $4,160
Waukesha, WI $2,967

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $3,905 in Waukesha, WI.

Austin, TX $5,622
Waukesha, WI $3,905

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 33% more expensive than in Waukesha, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Waukesha, WI 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$16.70 $16.70

23.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$76.5 $76.5

10.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.99 $10.99

9.83%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.88 $4.88

12.30%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.78 $2.78

36.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.96 $1.96

26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.07 $6.07

32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.81 $6.81

30.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.80 $0.80

38.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.39 $3.39

9.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.46 $4.46

-24.44%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.59 $3.59

20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.04 $9.04

45.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.29 $11.29

25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$16.57 $16.57

-1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.29 $5.29

-13.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.71 $1.71

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.58 $3.58

31.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.15 $5.15

-19.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.77 $1.77

45.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.61 $2.61

-9.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.61 $1.61

9.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.86 $1.86

15.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$8.39 $8.39

20.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.90 $10.90

39.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.74 $1.74

62.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.38 $3.38

1.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.05 $2.05

-24.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$50.0 $50.0

-18.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.88 $2.88

-2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.64 $1.64

-2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$21.09 $21.09

62.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.02 $1.02

-7.84%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

36.22%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

6.04%

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

$223 $223

$200 $200

11.10%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$51.2 $51.2

14.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$60.5 $60.5

16.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$50.3 $50.3

14.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$14.06 $14.06

1.42%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,472 $1,472

2.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$24.2K $24.2K

-13.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$53.3 $53.3

-3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$40.55 $40.55

8.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$89.2 $89.2

-2.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$76.3 $76.3

36.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,006 $1,006

92.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$805 $805

63.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,616 $1,616

126.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,190 $1,190

115.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,430 $2,430

202.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,375 $2,375

31.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,340 $4,340

21.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.53

3.98%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Waukesha, WI: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Waukesha, WI

$805 39.7% 38.9% $511

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Waukesha, WI

$361 17.8% 11.1% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Waukesha, WI

$312 15.4% 11.4% $40

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Waukesha, WI

$288 14.2% 17.8% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Waukesha, WI

$117 5.8% 9.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Waukesha, WI

$78 3.9% 9% $7.8

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Waukesha, WI

$69 3.4% 19.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,006 in Waukesha, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 22% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $76.0 in Waukesha, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $361 per month, with Waukesha, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Waukesha, WI

🕒 Local time

22:57 10:57 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

71,158

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Waukesha, WI 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Waukesha, WI

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 Waukesha, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waukesha, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Waukesha, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,006 in Waukesha, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,030 in Waukesha, WI – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Waukesha, WI runs roughly 22% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,030 in Waukesha, WI versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waukesha, WI but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Waukesha, WI 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Waukesha, WI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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