Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wichita, KS: $2,195 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Wichita, KS
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Wichita, KS Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Wichita, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,195

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,195 in Wichita, KS.

Austin, TX $2,698
Wichita, KS $2,195

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,219 in Wichita, KS.

Austin, TX $4,160
Wichita, KS $3,219

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,243 in Wichita, KS.

Austin, TX $5,622
Wichita, KS $4,243

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 23% more expensive than in Wichita, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Wichita, KS 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$17.98 $17.98

14.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$59.7 $59.7

41.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.81 $10.81

11.66%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.30 $5.30

3.40%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.51 $2.51

51.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.82 $1.82

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.04 $5.04

59.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.10 $6.10

45.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.86 $0.86

29.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.82 $3.82

-2.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.66 $4.66

-27.68%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.07 $4.07

6.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.56 $11.56

13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$10.13 $10.13

39.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$18.14 $18.14

-9.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.98 $5.98

-23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.73 $1.73

-15.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.06 $5.06

-6.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.26 $5.26

-21.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.82 $2.82

-8.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.75 $2.75

-14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.30 $2.30

-23.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.30 $2.30

-6.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$9.51 $9.51

6.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$14.79 $14.79

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.16 $2.16

30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.78 $3.78

-8.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.70 $1.70

-9.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$54.1 $54.1

-24.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.51 $2.51

11.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.52 $1.52

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$40.29 $40.29

-14.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.98 $0.98

-4.08%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

20.48%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.40%

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

$223 $223

$277 $277

-19.64%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$82.3 $82.3

-28.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$69.9 $69.9

0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$30.57 $30.57

88.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$19.66 $19.66

-15.92%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$15.26 $15.26

-6.55%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$922 $922

63.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$16.3K $16.3K

28.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$47.32 $47.32

8.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$30.83 $30.83

43.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$110 $110

-20.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$141 $141

-25.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$994 $994

95.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$784 $784

67.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,575 $1,575

132.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,289 $1,289

98.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,510 $1,510

387.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,508 $1,508

107.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,571 $3,571

48.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.65

2.11%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Wichita, KS: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Wichita, KS

$784 35.7% 40.4% $532

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Wichita, KS

$407 18.5% 0.3% $1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Wichita, KS

$429 19.6% 21.9% $77

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Wichita, KS

$295 13.4% 15.8% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Wichita, KS

$148 6.7% 14.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Wichita, KS

$61 2.8% 29.1% $25

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Wichita, KS

$71 3.2% 22.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $994 in Wichita, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 48% 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 $60.0 in Wichita, KS. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $407, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Wichita, KS

🕒 Local time

19:52 7:52 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

357,698

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Wichita, KS 830 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Wichita, KS

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, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wichita, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Wichita, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 48% 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 $994 in Wichita, KS. 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 $2,195 in Wichita, KS – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Wichita, KS runs roughly 32% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,195 in Wichita, KS versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wichita, KS but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Wichita, KS 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.

Expats usually find Wichita, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.