Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and West Lafayette, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in West Lafayette, IN: $2,383 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in West Lafayette, IN
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West Lafayette, IN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

West Lafayette, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,383

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in West Lafayette, IN

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 West Lafayette, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,383 in West Lafayette, IN.

Austin, TX $2,698
West Lafayette, IN $2,383

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,422 in West Lafayette, IN.

Austin, TX $4,160
West Lafayette, IN $3,422

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,461 in West Lafayette, IN.

Austin, TX $5,622
West Lafayette, IN $4,461

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 13% more expensive than in West Lafayette, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, West Lafayette, IN 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$11.77 $11.77

75.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$64.1 $64.1

32.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$6.31 $6.31

91.28%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.43 $4.43

23.70%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.84 $1.84

106.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.51 $1.51

63.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.12 $5.12

57.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$3.49 $3.49

154.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.67 $0.67

65.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.20 $3.20

16.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.95 $1.95

72.82%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.78 $3.78

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$22.14 $22.14

-40.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$5.91 $5.91

139.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$27.81 $27.81

-41.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.35 $4.35

4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.23 $1.23

18.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.25 $3.25

44.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.18 $5.18

-19.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.41 $3.41

-24.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.34 $3.34

-29.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.99 $1.99

-11.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.29 $2.29

-6.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.24 $11.24

-10.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.79 $10.79

40.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.70 $1.70

65.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$5.14 $5.14

-33.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.98 $0.98

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$27.77 $27.77

47.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.36 $5.36

-47.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.97 $0.97

64.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$17.74 $17.74

93.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.89 $0.89

5.62%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

22.39%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.0K $27.0K

-0.79%

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

$223 $223

$160 $160

39.06%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$54.3 $54.3

8.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$62.9 $62.9

12.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$29.52 $29.52

95.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$12.33 $12.33

34.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$13.52 $13.52

5.47%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$983 $983

53.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$75.7 $75.7

-32.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$43.03 $43.03

2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$66.8 $66.8

30.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$91.7 $91.7

13.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,428 $1,428

35.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,268 $1,268

3.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,372 $2,372

54.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,956 $1,956

31.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,853 $1,853

297.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,846 $1,846

69.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$8,638 $8,638

-38.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.49

4.62%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for West Lafayette, IN: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

West Lafayette, IN

$1.3K 53.2% 3.7% $48

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

West Lafayette, IN

$402 16.9% 1.1% $4.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

West Lafayette, IN

$277 11.6% 21.2% $75

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

West Lafayette, IN

$212 8.9% 39.4% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

West Lafayette, IN

$125 5.2% 3.3% $4.3

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

West Lafayette, IN

$57 2.4% 34.4% $30

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

West Lafayette, IN

$42 1.8% 27.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,428 in West Lafayette, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

West Lafayette, IN pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $64.0 in West Lafayette, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $402 per month, with West Lafayette, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 West Lafayette, IN

🕒 Local time

22:57 10:57 PM

23:57 11:57 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

28,997

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX West Lafayette, IN 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
West Lafayette, IN

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 West Lafayette, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

West Lafayette, IN wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making West Lafayette, IN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in West Lafayette, IN. 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,428 in West Lafayette, IN. 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 $2,383 in West Lafayette, IN – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in West Lafayette, IN runs roughly 48% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,383 in West Lafayette, IN versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in West Lafayette, IN but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes West Lafayette, IN 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 West Lafayette, IN 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 West Lafayette, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.