Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baraboo, WI and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Baraboo, WI: $2,376 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Baraboo, WI
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Baraboo, WI Living Index
129

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

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Baraboo, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,376

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baraboo, WI and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Baraboo, WI and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,376 in Baraboo, WI versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Baraboo, WI $2,376
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,386 in Baraboo, WI versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Baraboo, WI $3,386
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,395 in Baraboo, WI versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Baraboo, WI $4,395
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Baraboo, WI costs roughly 12% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baraboo, WI 75% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.14 $14.14

$20.63 $20.63

-31.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.27 $40.27

$84.6 $84.6

-52.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$12.07 $12.07

0.25%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$5.48 $5.48

-10.95%

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

$1.47 $1.47

$3.80 $3.80

-61.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.47 $2.47

-38.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$8.05 $8.05

-37.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$8.88 $8.88

-61.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.11 $1.11

-29.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.72 $3.72

-23.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.37 $3.37

-13.06%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$4.32 $4.32

-31.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 $7.95

$13.13 $13.13

-39.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.50 $11.50

$14.15 $14.15

-18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$16.33 $16.33

-35.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$4.55 $4.55

-11.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.46 $1.46

-14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$4.71 $4.71

-23.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$4.15 $4.15

31.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.58 $2.58

-32.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.35 $2.35

36.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.77 $1.77

-4.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.14 $2.14

-6.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.13 $12.13

$10.10 $10.10

20.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$15.19 $15.19

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.82 $2.82

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.44 $3.44

-1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.54 $1.54

12.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.80 $2.80

6.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.60 $1.60

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.75 $26.75

$34.34 $34.34

-22.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.94 $0.94

10.64%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$34.0K $34.0K

-28.55%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-4.32%

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

$172 $172

$223 $223

-22.84%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$58.9 $58.9

-10.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 $51.4

$70.6 $70.6

-27.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 $41.57

$57.7 $57.7

-27.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 $11.57

$14.26 $14.26

-18.86%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,511 $1,511

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

0.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 $56.2

$51.3 $51.3

9.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.90 $42.90

$44.17 $44.17

-2.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$87.0 $87.0

2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$104 $104

22.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$1,940 $1,940

-16.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$1,316 $1,316

-0.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 $2,474

$3,664 $3,664

-32.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 $2,148

$2,565 $2,565

-16.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,173 $2,173

$7,354 $7,354

-70.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,193 $2,193

$3,129 $3,129

-29.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.79

-5.30%

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

Last update for Baraboo, WI: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baraboo, WI

$1.3K 55%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 0.7% $9.5

Groceries & Markets

Baraboo, WI

$316 13.3%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 28.5% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baraboo, WI

$276 11.6%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 27.6% $76

Eating Out

Baraboo, WI

$252 10.6%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 39% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Baraboo, WI

$142 6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 9.4% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Baraboo, WI

$65 2.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 33.2% $22

Getting Around

Baraboo, WI

$18 * 0.8%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 223% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,613 in Baraboo, WI and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Baraboo, WI vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $406 per month, with Baraboo, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Baraboo, WI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

16:36 4:36 PM

Same time as Baraboo, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,556

974,447

💱 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

Baraboo, WI Austin, TX 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Baraboo, WI
Austin, 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

Baraboo, WI vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baraboo, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baraboo, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,564 in Baraboo, WI and $4,046 in Austin, TX 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: $1,613 in Baraboo, WI versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,506 in Baraboo, WI versus $1,511 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Baraboo, WI – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Baraboo, WI 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, Baraboo, WI and Austin, TX 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 Baraboo, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.