Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

169

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index
129

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

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Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,518

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,518 in Boulder, CO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Boulder, CO $3,518
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,103 in Boulder, CO versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Boulder, CO $5,103
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,689 in Boulder, CO versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Boulder, CO $6,689
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Boulder, CO is roughly 30% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boulder, CO 160% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$20.63 $20.63

-3.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$84.6 $84.6

-6.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 $15.07

$12.07 $12.07

24.86%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.48 $5.48

1.46%

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

$3.70 $3.70

$3.80 $3.80

-2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.47 $2.47

16.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$8.05 $8.05

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.88 $8.88

-0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.11 $1.11

6.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.72 $3.72

49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$3.37 $3.37

92.88%

Eggs

$5.53 $5.53

$4.32 $4.32

28.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 $11.85

$13.13 $13.13

-9.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$14.15 $14.15

-22.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$16.33 $16.33

6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$4.55 $4.55

30.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$4.71 $4.71

34.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$4.15 $4.15

46.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.58 $2.58

51.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.35 $2.35

63.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.77 $1.77

89.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.14 $2.14

23.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 $10.24

$10.10 $10.10

1.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.23 $17.23

$15.19 $15.19

13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.82 $2.82

-34.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.44 $3.44

43.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.54 $1.54

83.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 $152

$40.99 $40.99

270.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.80 $2.80

-13.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.60 $1.60

-13.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.21 $24.21

$34.34 $34.34

-29.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.94 $0.94

14.89%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$34.0K $34.0K

-19.14%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

0.47%

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

$279 $279

$223 $223

25.32%

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

$72.1 $72.1

$58.9 $58.9

22.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.2 $74.2

$70.6 $70.6

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 $83.1

$57.7 $57.7

44.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 $20.21

$16.53 $16.53

22.26%

Cinema Ticket

$16.72 $16.72

$14.26 $14.26

17.25%

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

$1,633 $1,633

$1,511 $1,511

8.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.2K $31.2K

$20.9K $20.9K

49.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 $69.2

$51.3 $51.3

34.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.21 $48.21

$44.17 $44.17

9.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$87.0 $87.0

6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$104 $104

37.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 $2,374

$1,940 $1,940

22.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 $1,825

$1,316 $1,316

38.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,307 $4,307

$3,664 $3,664

17.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 $3,069

$2,565 $2,565

19.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,420 $4,420

$7,354 $7,354

-39.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,495 $4,495

$3,129 $3,129

43.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,629 $5,629

$5,286 $5,286

6.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.79

-3.53%

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

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boulder, CO

$1.8K 51.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 27.9% $508

Groceries & Markets

Boulder, CO

$470 13.4%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 13.6% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boulder, CO

$425 12.1%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 17.2% $73

Eating Out

Boulder, CO

$350 10%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 0% $0.2

Getting Around

Boulder, CO

$173 4.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 66.4% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Boulder, CO

$159 4.5%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 18.8% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Boulder, CO

$117 3.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 26% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,374 in Boulder, CO and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boulder, CO pays 6% 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: $79.0 in Boulder, CO vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $470 vs $406, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:07 11:07 AM

12:07 12:07 PM

1 h ahead of Boulder, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,803

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

Boulder, CO Austin, TX 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Boulder, CO
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

Boulder, CO vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Boulder, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Boulder, CO, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,374 in Boulder, CO versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,518 per month in Boulder, CO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 271% less than in Boulder, CO. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Boulder, CO 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Boulder, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.