Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Champaign, IL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Champaign, IL: $2,161 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Champaign, IL
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Champaign, IL Living Index
130

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

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Champaign, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,161

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,161 in Champaign, IL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Champaign, IL $2,161
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,133 in Champaign, IL versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Champaign, IL $3,133
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,106 in Champaign, IL versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Champaign, IL $4,106
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Champaign, IL costs roughly 19% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Champaign, IL 60% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$20.77 $20.77

-26.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$84.6 $84.6

-28.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$12.32 $12.32

-17.94%

Cappuccino

$4.83 $4.83

$5.63 $5.63

-14.21%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$3.72 $3.72

-42.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.50 $2.50

-30.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 $5.57

$8.05 $8.05

-30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 $5.35

$9.01 $9.01

-40.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.12 $1.12

-24.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.75 $3.75

-16.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.26 $3.26

-3.99%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$4.17 $4.17

-6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$12.90 $12.90

-5.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$14.16 $14.16

-57.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 $12.81

$16.22 $16.22

-21.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.33 $4.33

-20.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.46 $1.46

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$4.51 $4.51

-31.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.34 $4.34

5.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.58 $2.58

-21.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.35 $2.35

-5.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.78 $1.78

24.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.22 $2.22

-43.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 $10.25

$9.88 $9.88

3.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.08 $15.08

-2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.92 $2.92

-26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.46 $3.46

17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.49 $1.49

-34.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.38 $20.38

$41.72 $41.72

-51.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.73 $2.73

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.66 $1.66

-4.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$0.95 $0.95

22.11%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.57%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$27.1K $27.1K

19.13%

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

$240 $240

$229 $229

4.77%

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

$45.66 $45.66

$59.4 $59.4

-23.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 $67.6

$69.9 $69.9

-3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 $25.34

$57.2 $57.2

-55.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 $11.85

$16.33 $16.33

-27.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 $11.09

$14.28 $14.28

-22.34%

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

$993 $993

$1,506 $1,506

-34.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K $19.9K

$21.5K $21.5K

-7.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.98 $48.98

$52.8 $52.8

-7.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$84.8 $84.8

36.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$103 $103

18.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

$1,907 $1,907

-23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$1,274 $1,274

-20.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$3,664 $3,664

-47.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 $1,691

$2,538 $2,538

-33.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,688 $1,688

$7,614 $7,614

-77.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 $1,709

$3,157 $3,157

-45.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,674 $3,674

$5,121 $5,121

-28.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.79

0.44%

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

Last update for Champaign, IL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Champaign, IL

$1K 47%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 25.4% $258

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Champaign, IL

$353 16.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 1.4% $5.1

Groceries & Markets

Champaign, IL

$316 14.6%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 28% $88

Eating Out

Champaign, IL

$264 12.2%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 33.9% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Champaign, IL

$129 * 6%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 0.9% $1.1

Sport & Entertainment

Champaign, IL

$48 2.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 80.6% $38

Getting Around

Champaign, IL

$35 1.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 68.8% $24

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 $1,453 in Champaign, IL and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 39% 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: $61.0 in Champaign, IL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $405 per month, with Champaign, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Champaign, IL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

18:08 6:08 PM

Same time as Champaign, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

88,302

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

Champaign, IL Austin, TX 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Champaign, IL
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

Champaign, IL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Champaign, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Champaign, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $1,453 in Champaign, IL versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,161 per month in Champaign, IL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Champaign, IL runs roughly 105% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,161 in Champaign, IL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Champaign, IL but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Champaign, IL 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.

Expats usually find Champaign, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.