Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Wheaton, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Wheaton, IL: $2,698 and $2,571 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Wheaton, IL
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Wheaton, IL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,571

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Wheaton, IL

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 Wheaton, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,571 in Wheaton, IL.

Austin, TX $2,698
Wheaton, IL $2,571

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,945 in Wheaton, IL.

Austin, TX $4,160
Wheaton, IL $3,945

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $5,320 in Wheaton, IL.

Austin, TX $5,622
Wheaton, IL $5,320

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 5% more expensive than in Wheaton, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Wheaton, IL 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$16.13 $16.13

27.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$69.3 $69.3

21.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.99 $11.99

0.67%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.56 $5.56

-1.44%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$3.08 $3.08

23.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.33 $2.33

6.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.09 $7.09

13.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.19 $8.19

8.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.87 $0.87

27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.83 $2.83

31.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.88 $2.88

17.01%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.67 $3.67

17.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.92 $9.92

32.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.07 $11.07

27.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.89 $14.89

9.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.67 $4.67

-2.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.59 $1.59

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.93 $2.93

60.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.14 $2.14

93.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.70 $1.70

51.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.14 $3.14

-25.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.89 $1.89

-6.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.41 $2.41

-11.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$8.98 $8.98

12.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$11.90 $11.90

27.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.26 $2.26

24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.72 $2.72

26.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$5.03 $5.03

-69.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$101 $101

-59.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.09 $4.09

-31.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.80 $0.80

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$43.88 $43.88

-21.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.03 $1.03

-8.74%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$23.1K $23.1K

47.24%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

6.02%

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

$223 $223

$174 $174

28.33%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$51.7 $51.7

13.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$68.9 $68.9

2.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$34.62 $34.62

66.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$12.08 $12.08

18.05%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,698 $1,698

-11.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$23.5K $23.5K

-11.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$57.7 $57.7

-11.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$34.98 $34.98

26.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$87.2 $87.2

-0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$102 $102

2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,011 $2,011

-3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,321 $1,321

-0.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,753 $2,753

33.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,583 $2,583

-0.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$5,537 $5,537

-4.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.69

1.49%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Wheaton, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Wheaton, IL

$1.3K 51.4% 0.4% $4.6

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Wheaton, IL

$337 13.1% 17% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Wheaton, IL

$294 11.4% 16.5% $58

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Wheaton, IL

$305 11.9% 12.8% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Wheaton, IL

$127 4.9% 1.8% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Wheaton, IL

$59 2.3% 31.8% $27

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Wheaton, IL

$129 5% 122% $71

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $2,011 in Wheaton, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wheaton, IL pays 5% 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 $69.0 in Wheaton, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $337 per month, with Wheaton, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Wheaton, IL

🕒 Local time

19:00 7:00 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

54,611

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Wheaton, IL 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Wheaton, IL

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 Wheaton, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wheaton, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Wheaton, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Wheaton, IL. 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 $2,011 in Wheaton, IL. 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 $2,571 in Wheaton, IL – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Wheaton, IL runs roughly 145% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Wheaton, IL 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Wheaton, IL 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 Wheaton, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.