Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Rapids, MI and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Big Rapids, MI: $1,961 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Big Rapids, MI
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Big Rapids, MI Living Index
125

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

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Big Rapids, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,961

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Big Rapids, MI $1,961
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,883 in Big Rapids, MI versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Big Rapids, MI $2,883
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,804 in Big Rapids, MI versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Big Rapids, MI $3,804
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Big Rapids, MI costs roughly 25% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Big Rapids, MI 44% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 $18.73

$20.35 $20.35

-7.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 $61.1

$84.7 $84.7

-27.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 $8.17

$12.12 $12.12

-32.59%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$5.65 $5.65

-12.74%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$3.68 $3.68

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.36 $2.36

-7.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 $6.52

$7.87 $7.87

-17.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$8.82 $8.82

-11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.14 $1.14

-21.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.69 $3.69

-13.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.31 $3.31

-34.44%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$4.15 $4.15

-10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.99 $16.99

$12.98 $12.98

30.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.26 $13.26

$13.86 $13.86

-4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 $14.66

$16.34 $16.34

-10.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$4.69 $4.69

-27.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.45 $1.45

-56.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$5.11 $5.11

-25.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.52 $4.52

-0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.08 $3.08

-25.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.38 $2.38

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.80 $1.80

29.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.22 $2.22

-7.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 $10.26

$9.97 $9.97

2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 $13.64

$15.05 $15.05

-9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.91 $2.91

-28.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.33 $3.33

-14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.22 $1.22

60.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$40.53 $40.53

50.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.78 $2.78

7.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.65 $1.65

-3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.80 $26.80

$35.39 $35.39

-24.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.95 $0.95

17.89%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$34.2K $34.2K

-13.30%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-10.24%

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

$196 $196

$223 $223

-12.02%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$58.5 $58.5

0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$71.2 $71.2

1.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.35 $43.35

$53.0 $53.0

-18.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 $13.11

$14.06 $14.06

-6.76%

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

$1,985 $1,985

$1,459 $1,459

36.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K $19.7K

$21.3K $21.3K

-7.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$52.5 $52.5

6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.30 $35.30

$42.75 $42.75

-17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$86.4 $86.4

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$104 $104

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 $912

$2,112 $2,112

-56.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 $682

$1,230 $1,230

-44.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$3,863 $3,863

-59.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 $1,064

$2,407 $2,407

-55.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,629 $2,629

$7,426 $7,426

-64.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,463 $2,463

$3,060 $3,060

-19.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

6.82

-16.72%

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

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: October 25, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Big Rapids, MI

$682 34.8%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 80.3% $548

Groceries & Markets

Big Rapids, MI

$374 19.1%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 9.6% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Big Rapids, MI

$327 16.7%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 7.7% $25

Eating Out

Big Rapids, MI

$302 15.4%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 15.1% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Big Rapids, MI

$126 6.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 1.8% $2.2

Getting Around

Big Rapids, MI

$80 4.1%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 29.2% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Big Rapids, MI

$70 3.6%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 16.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $912 in Big Rapids, MI and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61 in Big Rapids, MI vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $410 per month, with Big Rapids, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Big Rapids, MI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:45 1:45 PM

12:45 12:45 PM

1 h behind Big Rapids, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,565

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Big Rapids, MI Austin, TX 1,840 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Big Rapids, MI
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

Big Rapids, MI vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Big Rapids, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Big Rapids, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $2,942 in Big Rapids, MI and $3,911 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: $912 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,961 per month in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 34% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Big Rapids, MI but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Big Rapids, MI 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.