Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Wilkes-Barre, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilkes-Barre, PA: $1,860 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Wilkes-Barre, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,860

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Wilkes-Barre, PA

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 Wilkes-Barre, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $1,860 in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Wilkes-Barre, PA $1,860

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,903 in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Wilkes-Barre, PA $2,903

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,947 in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Wilkes-Barre, PA $3,947

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 40% more expensive than in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Wilkes-Barre, PA 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$14.75 $14.75

37.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$49.73 $49.73

70.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.63 $9.63

25.86%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.45 $3.45

63.77%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.03 $1.03

257.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.87 $1.87

26.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.06 $5.06

55.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.18 $1.18

-3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.60 $3.60

2.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.09 $2.09

58.37%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.81 $5.81

-28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$8.30 $8.30

56.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$14.85 $14.85

-6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$18.40 $18.40

-11.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.48 $3.48

34.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.18 $2.18

-33.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.44 $5.44

-6.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$6.72 $6.72

-32.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.81 $1.81

70.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.15 $3.15

-24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.16 $2.16

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.50 $1.50

48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$12.06 $12.06

-17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.86 $14.86

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.71 $1.71

70.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.49 $1.49

-18.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.11 $1.11

-14.41%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

25.96%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.30%

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

$223 $223

$157 $157

42.28%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$40.96 $40.96

42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$66.6 $66.6

6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$50.2 $50.2

5.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,053 $1,053

38.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$50.8 $50.8

3.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$39.45 $39.45

8.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$80.1 $80.1

7.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,259 $1,259

67.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$841 $841

46.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,773 $1,773

117.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,724 $1,724

39.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,341 $4,341

19.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.59

3.49%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Wilkes-Barre, PA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,259 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 19% 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 $50 in Wilkes-Barre, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $396 per month, with Wilkes-Barre, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Wilkes-Barre, PA

🕒 Local time

20:29 8:29 PM

21:29 9:29 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

41,288

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Wilkes-Barre, PA 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Wilkes-Barre, PA

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 Wilkes-Barre, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wilkes-Barre, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Wilkes-Barre, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 19% 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 $1,259 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,053 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Wilkes-Barre, PA – a meal for two runs $50 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

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