Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Wichita Falls, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Wichita Falls, TX: $1,797 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in Wichita Falls, TX
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Wichita Falls, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Wichita Falls, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,797

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Wichita Falls, TX

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 Wichita Falls, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $1,797 in Wichita Falls, TX.

Austin, TX $2,607
Wichita Falls, TX $1,797

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,731 in Wichita Falls, TX.

Austin, TX $4,031
Wichita Falls, TX $2,731

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,665 in Wichita Falls, TX.

Austin, TX $5,454
Wichita Falls, TX $3,665

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 45% more expensive than in Wichita Falls, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Wichita Falls, TX 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$14.80 $14.80

37.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$59.5 $59.5

42.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.18 $11.18

8.41%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.62 $5.62

0.53%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.19 $3.19

15.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.44 $2.44

-3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.08 $5.08

54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$8.16 $8.16

8.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.97 $0.97

17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.98 $2.98

23.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.96 $3.96

-16.41%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$4.21 $4.21

-1.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$13.01 $13.01

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$8.73 $8.73

58.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$10.85 $10.85

50.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.50 $4.50

4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.30 $1.30

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.09 $3.09

65.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.16 $2.16

109.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.22 $2.22

38.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.01 $3.01

-20.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.63 $1.63

10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.77 $2.77

-19.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.55 $8.55

16.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$8.98 $8.98

67.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.08 $1.08

169.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.52 $1.52

119.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.54 $1.54

-20.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$44.78 $44.78

-9.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.28 $1.28

117.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.87 $0.87

89.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.80 $0.80

18.75%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$25.9K $25.9K

31.84%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.9K $24.9K

7.33%

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

$223 $223

$248 $248

-9.96%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$50.5 $50.5

15.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$62.3 $62.3

14.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$14.83 $14.83

257.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$19.67 $19.67

-14.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$8.78 $8.78

60.14%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$2,651 $2,651

-44.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$50.9 $50.9

3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$41.38 $41.38

3.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$64.6 $64.6

33.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$98.2 $98.2

5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,048 $1,048

101.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$630 $630

95.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,401 $1,401

175.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,201 $1,201

100.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$1,466 $1,466

406.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,411 $1,411

116.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,913 $3,913

32.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.44

5.90%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Wichita Falls, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Wichita Falls, TX

$630 35.1% 48.8% $601

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Wichita Falls, TX

$320 17.8% 22% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Wichita Falls, TX

$360 20.1% 2.2% $7.8

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Wichita Falls, TX

$284 15.8% 18.6% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Wichita Falls, TX

$115 6.4% 10.7% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Wichita Falls, TX

$32 1.8% 60.1% $49

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Wichita Falls, TX

$57 3.2% 0.2% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,048 in Wichita Falls, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 32% 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 $59 in Wichita Falls, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $320 per month, with Wichita Falls, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Wichita Falls, TX

🕒 Local time

13:07 1:07 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

102,316

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Wichita Falls, TX 410 km

From you

Austin, TX
Wichita Falls, TX

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 Wichita Falls, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wichita Falls, TX 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 Wichita Falls, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 32% 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 $1,048 in Wichita Falls, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,797 in Wichita Falls, TX – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 9% less than in Wichita Falls, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $1,797 in Wichita Falls, TX versus $2,607 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wichita Falls, TX but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Wichita Falls, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

It comes down to priorities – Wichita Falls, TX wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.