Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bismarck, ND and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Bismarck, ND: $2,403 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Bismarck, ND
Learn more

Bismarck, ND Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Bismarck, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,403

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,403 in Bismarck, ND versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Bismarck, ND $2,403
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,341 in Bismarck, ND versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Bismarck, ND $3,341
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,278 in Bismarck, ND versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Bismarck, ND $4,278
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Bismarck, ND costs roughly 11% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bismarck, ND 77% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.19 $30.19

$20.63 $20.63

46.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 $69.8

$84.6 $84.6

-17.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.41 $17.41

$12.07 $12.07

44.24%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$5.48 $5.48

13.50%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$3.80 $3.80

-34.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.47 $2.47

-23.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 $5.55

$8.05 $8.05

-31.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 $6.99

$8.88 $8.88

-21.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.11 $1.11

-7.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.72 $3.72

-27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$3.37 $3.37

-38.28%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$4.32 $4.32

-36.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$13.13 $13.13

-41.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 $13.21

$14.15 $14.15

-6.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 $15.90

$16.33 $16.33

-2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.55 $4.55

-23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.46 $1.46

18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$4.71 $4.71

-37.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.15 $4.15

2.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.58 $2.58

-26.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.35 $2.35

19.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.77 $1.77

23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.14 $2.14

25.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 $8.74

$10.10 $10.10

-13.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.97 $19.97

$15.19 $15.19

31.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.82 $2.82

-32.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.44 $3.44

17.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.94 $0.94

3.19%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$34.0K $34.0K

-21.99%

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

$22.5K $22.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-15.91%

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

$208 $208

$223 $223

-6.49%

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

$71.8 $71.8

$58.9 $58.9

21.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.1 $82.1

$70.6 $70.6

16.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 $41.78

$57.7 $57.7

-27.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 $10.89

$14.26 $14.26

-23.63%

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

$804 $804

$1,511 $1,511

-46.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 $65.1

$51.3 $51.3

26.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$87.0 $87.0

9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 $81.2

$104 $104

-22.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 $1,171

$1,940 $1,940

-39.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 $1,077

$1,316 $1,316

-18.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 $1,628

$3,664 $3,664

-55.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$2,565 $2,565

-44.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,226 $2,226

$7,354 $7,354

-69.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,054 $2,054

$3,129 $3,129

-34.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,393 $4,393

$5,286 $5,286

-16.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

6.79

0.74%

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

Last update for Bismarck, ND: 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

Bismarck, ND

$1.1K 44.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 22.2% $239

Eating Out

Bismarck, ND

$428 17.8%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 18.1% $78

Groceries & Markets

Bismarck, ND

$364 15.2%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 11.5% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bismarck, ND

$362 15.1%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 2.7% $9.9

Clothing & Footwear

Bismarck, ND

$109 * 4.5%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 18.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Bismarck, ND

$64 2.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 35.7% $23

Getting Around

Bismarck, ND

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

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 $1,171 in Bismarck, ND and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 20% 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: $70.0 in Bismarck, ND vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $406 per month, with Bismarck, ND cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bismarck, ND

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

02:37 2:37 AM

Same time as Bismarck, ND

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,333

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bismarck, ND Austin, TX 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bismarck, ND
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

Bismarck, ND vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bismarck, ND wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bismarck, ND the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,171 in Bismarck, ND versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $804 in Bismarck, ND 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 Bismarck, ND – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,403 in Bismarck, ND versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bismarck, ND but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bismarck, ND 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, Bismarck, ND 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 Bismarck, ND gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.