Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buford, GA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Buford, GA: $2,294 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Buford, GA, United States
Austin, TX, United States
Buford, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,294
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,294 in Buford, GA versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

  • Buford, GA $2,294
  • Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,449 in Buford, GA versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

  • Buford, GA $3,449
  • Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,603 in Buford, GA versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

  • Buford, GA $4,603
  • Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Buford, GA costs roughly 12% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buford, GA 69% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.20 $25.20
$20.35 $20.35
23.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.2 $59.2
$84.7 $84.7
-30.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.90 $5.90
$12.12 $12.12
-51.32%
Cappuccino
$5.30 $5.30
$5.65 $5.65
-6.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$3.68 $3.68
-47.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 $1.63
$2.36 $2.36
-30.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.14 $5.14
$7.87 $7.87
-34.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.84 $5.84
$8.82 $8.82
-33.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.79 $0.79
$1.14 $1.14
-30.70%
White Bread (500g)
$3.53 $3.53
$3.69 $3.69
-4.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.31 $3.31
-6.95%
Eggs
$4.00 $4.00
$4.15 $4.15
-3.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.55 $5.55
$12.98 $12.98
-57.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.60 $9.60
$13.86 $13.86
-30.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.54 $11.54
$16.34 $16.34
-29.38%
Apples (1kg)
$3.49 $3.49
$4.69 $4.69
-25.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.45 $1.45
-14.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 $2.06
$5.11 $5.11
-59.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.58 $3.58
$4.52 $4.52
-20.80%
Potato (1kg)
$3.11 $3.11
$3.08 $3.08
0.97%
Onion (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$2.38 $2.38
13.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.80 $1.80
22.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$2.22 $2.22
-28.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.18 $10.18
$9.97 $9.97
2.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.97 $10.97
$15.05 $15.05
-27.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 $1.84
$2.91 $2.91
-36.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$3.33 $3.33
-56.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.71 $3.71
$1.22 $1.22
204.10%
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)
-
$35.39 $35.39
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.76 $0.76
$0.95 $0.95
-20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$70.7K $70.7K
$34.2K $34.2K
106.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K $27.0K
$26.8K $26.8K
0.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 $203
$223 $223
-9.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.95 $24.95
$58.5 $58.5
-57.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.2 $82.2
$71.2 $71.2
15.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 $44.33
$53.0 $53.0
-16.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.08 $35.08
$16.75 $16.75
109.43%
Cinema Ticket
$12.80 $12.80
$14.06 $14.06
-8.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,117 $1,117
$1,459 $1,459
-23.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$21.3K $21.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.53 $45.53
$52.5 $52.5
-13.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24 $35.24
$42.75 $42.75
-17.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.4 $76.4
$86.4 $86.4
-11.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.1 $97.1
$104 $104
-6.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,450 $1,450
$2,112 $2,112
-31.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,152 $1,152
$1,230 $1,230
-6.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,390 $2,390
$3,863 $3,863
-38.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,127 $2,127
$2,407 $2,407
-11.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,426 $7,426
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,060 $3,060
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buford, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,364 $3,364
$5,179 $5,179
-35.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.22
6.82
-8.80%

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

Last update for Buford, GA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buford, GA
$1.2K
Austin, TX
$1.2K 6.8% $79
Eating Out
Buford, GA
$335
Austin, TX
$348 4.1% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buford, GA
$310
Austin, TX
$353 13.8% $43
Groceries & Markets
Buford, GA
$299
Austin, TX
$410 37.3% $111
Clothing & Footwear
Buford, GA
$114
Austin, TX
$128 12.3% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Buford, GA
$70
Austin, TX
$81 16.1% $11
Getting Around
Buford, GA
$15 *
Austin, TX
$56 281% $42

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 $1,450 in Buford, GA and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 54% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $59 in Buford, GA vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $410 per month, with Buford, GA cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Buford, GA
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
16:36 4:36 PM
15:36 3:36 PM
1 h behind Buford, GA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,868
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
  • Buford, GA Austin, TX 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Buford, GA
  • 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
Buford, GA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Buford, GA or Austin, TX?
Buford, GA 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 Buford, GA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Buford, GA or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Buford, GA. 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 Buford, GA compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,450 in Buford, GA versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Buford, GA and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $1,117 in Buford, GA versus $1,459 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Buford, GA and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Buford, GA – a meal for two runs $59 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Buford, GA or in Austin, TX?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Buford, GA gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for families?
For families, Buford, GA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Should I move to Buford, GA or to Austin, TX?
It comes down to priorities – Buford, GA wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Buford, GA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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