Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baytown, TX and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Baytown, TX: $2,419 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Austin, TX despite lower rent and utilities.

Baytown, TX, United States
Austin, TX, United States
Baytown, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,419
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baytown, TX 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 Baytown, TX and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,419 in Baytown, TX versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

  • Baytown, TX $2,419
  • Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,058 in Baytown, TX versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

  • Baytown, TX $3,058
  • Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,697 in Baytown, TX versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

  • Baytown, TX $3,697
  • Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Baytown, TX costs roughly 7% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baytown, TX 78% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.36 $20.36
$20.35 $20.35
0.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.75 $39.75
$84.7 $84.7
-53.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.09 $11.09
$12.12 $12.12
-8.50%
Cappuccino
$5.45 $5.45
$5.65 $5.65
-3.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 $2.20
$3.68 $3.68
-40.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 $1.87
$2.36 $2.36
-20.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.08 $5.08
$7.87 $7.87
-35.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65 $5.65
$8.82 $8.82
-35.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.14 $1.14
-5.26%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 $2.37
$3.69 $3.69
-35.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.74 $5.74
$3.31 $3.31
73.41%
Eggs
$3.86 $3.86
$4.15 $4.15
-6.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 $8.49
$12.98 $12.98
-34.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.63 $9.63
$13.86 $13.86
-30.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.40 $21.40
$16.34 $16.34
30.97%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$4.69 $4.69
-7.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.45 $1.45
-28.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.59 $5.59
$5.11 $5.11
9.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.53 $5.53
$4.52 $4.52
22.35%
Potato (1kg)
$2.84 $2.84
$3.08 $3.08
-7.79%
Onion (1kg)
$5.49 $5.49
$2.38 $2.38
130.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.80 $1.80
-28.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.22 $2.22
-9.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.92 $5.92
$9.97 $9.97
-40.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.33 $11.33
$15.05 $15.05
-24.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.64 $3.64
$2.91 $2.91
25.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08 $4.08
$3.33 $3.33
22.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.22 $1.22
-
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)
$14.94 $14.94
$35.39 $35.39
-57.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$0.95 $0.95
-3.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.5K $48.5K
$34.2K $34.2K
41.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K $24.9K
$26.8K $26.8K
-7.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 $203
$223 $223
-8.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.58 $40.58
$58.5 $58.5
-30.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.4 $66.4
$71.2 $71.2
-6.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.86 $14.86
$53.0 $53.0
-71.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.75 $16.75
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.94 $8.94
$14.06 $14.06
-36.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,459 $1,459
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$21.3K $21.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.03 $38.03
$52.5 $52.5
-27.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.67 $19.67
$42.75 $42.75
-53.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.9 $61.9
$86.4 $86.4
-28.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.3 $64.3
$104 $104
-38.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,292 $1,292
$2,112 $2,112
-38.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 $1,293
$1,230 $1,230
5.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,835 $1,835
$3,863 $3,863
-52.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,367 $1,367
$2,407 $2,407
-43.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,426 $7,426
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,060 $3,060
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baytown, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,750 $3,750
$5,179 $5,179
-27.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.71
6.82
-1.61%

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

Last update for Baytown, TX: October 27, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Baytown, TX
$1.3K
Austin, TX
$1.2K 4.8% $62
Groceries & Markets
Baytown, TX
$386
Austin, TX
$410 6% $23
Eating Out
Baytown, TX
$315
Austin, TX
$348 10.7% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baytown, TX
$310
Austin, TX
$353 13.7% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Baytown, TX
$83
Austin, TX
$128 55.3% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Baytown, TX
$33
Austin, TX
$81 148% $48
Getting Around
Baytown, TX
- *
Austin, TX
$56

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 $1,292 in Baytown, TX and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 38% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $40 in Baytown, TX vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $410 per month, with Baytown, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Baytown, TX
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
14:59 2:59 PM
14:59 2:59 PM
Same time as Baytown, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
75,418
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Baytown, TX Austin, TX 270 km
From you
  • Baytown, TX
  • 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
Baytown, TX vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Baytown, TX or Austin, TX?
Baytown, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Baytown, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Baytown, TX or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Baytown, TX. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Baytown, TX compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,292 in Baytown, TX versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Baytown, TX compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you’ll spend $2,419 per month in Baytown, TX versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – Baytown, TX is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Are groceries more expensive in Baytown, TX or in Austin, TX?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Baytown, TX or in Austin, TX?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Baytown, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Baytown, TX or Austin, TX?
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.
Should I move to Baytown, TX or to Austin, TX?
It comes down to priorities – Baytown, 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.

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