Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Clarinda, IA: $2,557 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Austin, TX despite lower rent and utilities.

119

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

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

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Clarinda, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,557

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,557 in Clarinda, IA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Clarinda, IA $2,557
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,469 in Clarinda, IA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Clarinda, IA $3,469
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,381 in Clarinda, IA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Clarinda, IA $4,381
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Clarinda, IA costs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Clarinda, IA 89% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 $8.74

$20.63 $20.63

-57.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.24 $39.24

$84.6 $84.6

-53.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$12.07 $12.07

0.50%

Cappuccino

$3.93 $3.93

$5.48 $5.48

-28.28%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$3.80 $3.80

-19.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.47 $2.47

-18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 $7.12

$8.05 $8.05

-11.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$8.88 $8.88

-53.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.11 $1.11

-29.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.72 $3.72

-10.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.37 $3.37

52.23%

Eggs

$2.92 $2.92

$4.32 $4.32

-32.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.09 $14.09

$13.13 $13.13

7.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$14.15 $14.15

-33.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 $13.78

$16.33 $16.33

-15.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.55 $4.55

-1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.46 $1.46

10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.71 $4.71

-4.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.15 $4.15

33.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.58 $2.58

22.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.35 $2.35

40.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.77 $1.77

35.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.14 $2.14

0.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 $7.06

$10.10 $10.10

-30.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.37 $15.37

$15.19 $15.19

1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.82 $2.82

-28.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.44 $3.44

11.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.54 $1.54

17.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.07 $30.07

$40.99 $40.99

-26.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.80 $2.80

-8.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.60 $1.60

-20.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.9 $59.9

$34.34 $34.34

74.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.94 $0.94

8.51%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$34.0K $34.0K

1.13%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.32%

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

$203 $203

$223 $223

-8.61%

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

$35.66 $35.66

$58.9 $58.9

-39.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 $61.0

$70.6 $70.6

-13.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.46 $41.46

$57.7 $57.7

-28.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 $4.88

$14.26 $14.26

-65.78%

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

$1,173 $1,173

$1,511 $1,511

-22.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K $21.1K

$20.9K $20.9K

0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 $61.5

$51.3 $51.3

19.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.69 $43.69

$44.17 $44.17

-1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$87.0 $87.0

18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$104 $104

37.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 $1,663

$1,940 $1,940

-14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 $1,402

$1,316 $1,316

6.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,707 $2,707

$3,664 $3,664

-26.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 $2,019

$2,565 $2,565

-21.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 $2,425

$7,354 $7,354

-67.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,086 $2,086

$3,129 $3,129

-33.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.79

-3.39%

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

Last update for Clarinda, IA: 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

Clarinda, IA

$1.4K 54.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 6.1% $85

Groceries & Markets

Clarinda, IA

$382 14.9%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 6.3% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Clarinda, IA

$300 11.7%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 17.3% $52

Eating Out

Clarinda, IA

$218 8.5%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 60.9% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Clarinda, IA

$158 6.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 18.6% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Clarinda, IA

$51 2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 68.3% $35

Getting Around

Clarinda, IA

$46 1.8%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 25.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,663 in Clarinda, IA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Clarinda, IA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $406 per month, with Clarinda, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Clarinda, IA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

00:51 12:51 AM

Same time as Clarinda, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,400

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Clarinda, IA Austin, TX 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Clarinda, 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

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

Clarinda, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Clarinda, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,836 in Clarinda, IA and $4,046 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,663 in Clarinda, 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 $2,557 per month in Clarinda, IA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Clarinda, IA runs roughly 36% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Clarinda, IA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Clarinda, 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 Clarinda, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.