Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Winona, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Winona, MN: $1,950 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 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
95

Cost of Living Index in Winona, MN
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Winona, MN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Winona, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Winona, MN

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,950 in Winona, MN.

Austin, TX $2,698
Winona, MN $1,950

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $2,925 in Winona, MN.

Austin, TX $4,160
Winona, MN $2,925

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $3,900 in Winona, MN.

Austin, TX $5,622
Winona, MN $3,900

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 38% more expensive than in Winona, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Winona, MN 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$15.12 $15.12

36.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$58.5 $58.5

44.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.46 $11.46

5.32%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.54 $5.54

-1.08%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.79 $1.79

112.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.03 $1.03

139.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.12 $4.12

95.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$5.90 $5.90

50.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.00 $1.00

11.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.41 $1.41

163.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.16 $4.16

-18.99%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$1.75 $1.75

146.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$14.72 $14.72

-10.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$13.41 $13.41

5.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$19.81 $19.81

-17.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.61 $4.61

-1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.64 $0.64

128.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.12 $5.12

-8.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.96 $4.96

-16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.79 $2.79

-7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.03 $3.03

-22.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.10 $2.10

-15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.37 $2.37

-9.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.85 $10.85

-6.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.47 $15.47

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.70 $2.70

4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.33 $4.33

-20.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.03 $2.03

-24.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$66.8 $66.8

-38.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.88 $3.88

-27.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.06 $2.06

-22.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$42.95 $42.95

-20.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.99 $0.99

-5.05%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

9.24%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.57%

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

$223 $223

$198 $198

12.55%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$29.44 $29.44

100.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$53.2 $53.2

32.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$60.4 $60.4

-4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$9.82 $9.82

45.21%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,718 $1,718

-12.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$23.9K $23.9K

-12.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$63.1 $63.1

-18.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$50.4 $50.4

-12.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$106 $106

-17.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$123 $123

-14.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$867 $867

123.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$686 $686

91.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,285 $1,285

185.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,180 $1,180

117.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,671 $1,671

340.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,653 $1,653

89.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

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 Winona, MN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Winona, MN

$686 35.2% 47.9% $631

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Winona, MN

$395 20.3% 2.7% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Winona, MN

$280 14.4% 20.4% $72

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Winona, MN

$265 13.6% 24.2% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Winona, MN

$154 7.9% 19.3% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Winona, MN

$80 4.1% 7.2% $6.2

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Winona, MN

$89 4.6% 53.9% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $867 in Winona, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $58.0 in Winona, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $395 per month, with Winona, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Winona, MN

🕒 Local time

23:49 11:49 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

26,533

💱 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 Winona, MN 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Winona, MN

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 Winona, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Winona, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Winona, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,046 in Austin, TX and $2,924 in Winona, MN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $867 in Winona, MN. 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 $1,950 in Winona, MN – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Winona, MN runs roughly 63% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,950 in Winona, MN versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Winona, MN but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Winona, MN 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 Winona, MN 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 Winona, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.