Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, IA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Burlington, IA: $1,769 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

86

Cost of Living Index in Burlington, IA
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Burlington, IA Living Index
129

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

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Burlington, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,769

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,769 in Burlington, IA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Burlington, IA $1,769
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,675 in Burlington, IA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Burlington, IA $2,675
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Burlington, IA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Burlington, IA $3,580
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Burlington, IA costs roughly 34% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burlington, IA 31% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.35 $11.35

$20.63 $20.63

-44.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$84.6 $84.6

-30.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 $8.84

$12.07 $12.07

-26.76%

Cappuccino

$4.74 $4.74

$5.48 $5.48

-13.50%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$3.80 $3.80

-48.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.47 $2.47

-18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 $3.41

$8.05 $8.05

-57.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$8.88 $8.88

-48.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.11 $1.11

-27.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.72 $3.72

-24.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.37 $3.37

28.78%

Eggs

$2.92 $2.92

$4.32 $4.32

-32.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$13.13 $13.13

-13.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$14.15 $14.15

-15.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$16.33 $16.33

-13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.55 $4.55

-11.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.46 $1.46

35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.71 $4.71

-2.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$4.15 $4.15

12.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.58 $2.58

6.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.35 $2.35

10.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.77 $1.77

-12.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.14 $2.14

-3.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 $8.16

$10.10 $10.10

-19.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 $16.29

$15.19 $15.19

7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.82 $2.82

-32.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.44 $3.44

-34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.54 $1.54

25.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.76 $15.76

$40.99 $40.99

-61.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.80 $2.80

66.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.60 $1.60

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.19 $22.19

$34.34 $34.34

-35.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$34.0K $34.0K

-33.11%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-6.66%

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

$184 $184

$223 $223

-17.31%

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

$47.16 $47.16

$58.9 $58.9

-19.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 $59.2

$70.6 $70.6

-16.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 $42.42

$57.7 $57.7

-26.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 $11.92

$14.26 $14.26

-16.41%

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

$1,210 $1,210

$1,511 $1,511

-19.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K $13.3K

$20.9K $20.9K

-36.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.72 $44.72

$51.3 $51.3

-12.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.53 $30.53

$44.17 $44.17

-30.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.90 $37.90

$104 $104

-63.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 $754

$1,940 $1,940

-61.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 $707

$1,316 $1,316

-46.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 $1,172

$3,664 $3,664

-68.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$2,565 $2,565

-50.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 $1,026

$7,354 $7,354

-86.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,033 $1,033

$3,129 $3,129

-66.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,446 $4,446

$5,286 $5,286

-15.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.79

-3.68%

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

Last update for Burlington, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Burlington, IA

$707 40%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 86.2% $609

Groceries & Markets

Burlington, IA

$366 20.7%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 10.9% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Burlington, IA

$290 16.4%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 21.3% $62

Eating Out

Burlington, IA

$216 12.2%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 61.8% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Burlington, IA

$90 5.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 43.3% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Burlington, IA

$66 3.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 30.1% $20

Getting Around

Burlington, IA

$33 1.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 74% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $754 in Burlington, IA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 19% 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: $59.0 in Burlington, IA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $406 per month, with Burlington, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Burlington, IA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

19:07 7:07 PM

Same time as Burlington, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,743

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

Burlington, IA Austin, TX 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Burlington, IA
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

Burlington, IA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burlington, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burlington, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $754 in Burlington, IA 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 $1,769 per month in Burlington, IA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Burlington, IA runs roughly 160% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,769 in Burlington, IA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Burlington, IA but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Burlington, IA 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, Burlington, IA 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 Burlington, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.