Cost of Living Comparison Between Clifton, NJ and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Clifton, NJ and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,947 in Clifton, NJ versus $2,659 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Clifton, NJ versus $4,101 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,272 in Clifton, NJ versus $5,542 in Austin, TX.

Living in Clifton, NJ is roughly 11% more expensive than Austin, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Clifton, NJ 120% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 $20.12

$19.63 $19.63

2.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$75.1 $75.1

33.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$9.92 $9.92

19.86%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$5.67 $5.67

7.23%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$2.77 $2.77

-14.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.17 $2.17

-26.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.84 $5.84

17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 $6.80

$7.77 $7.77

-12.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.09 $1.09

19.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.41 $3.41

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.43 $3.43

68.22%

Eggs

$6.47 $6.47

$4.39 $4.39

47.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 $13.00

$11.95 $11.95

8.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 $10.25

$10.76 $10.76

-4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.64 $19.64

$14.29 $14.29

37.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$4.84 $4.84

15.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.55 $1.55

61.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.46 $4.46

-2.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.91 $3.91

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.74 $2.74

10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.74 $2.74

-4.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.04 $2.04

35.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.25 $2.25

14.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.26 $17.26

$8.93 $8.93

93.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$14.85 $14.85

1.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.35 $2.35

-22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.57 $3.57

6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.47 $1.47

82.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.28 $4.28

-31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.84 $1.84

20.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.68 $42.68

$35.54 $35.54

20.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.72 $0.72

31.94%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.7K $25.7K

24.01%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.52%

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

$211 $211

$174 $174

21.73%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$60.2 $60.2

-11.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$66.3 $66.3

-5.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.60 $20.60

$62.8 $62.8

-67.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$20.26 $20.26

$15.24 $15.24

32.94%

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

$1,726 $1,726

$1,387 $1,387

24.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$22.2K $22.2K

-27.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$56.7 $56.7

-10.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.09 $20.09

$45.34 $45.34

-55.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 $91.1

$86.5 $86.5

5.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$119 $119

44.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 $1,717

$2,247 $2,247

-23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 $1,679

$1,430 $1,430

17.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,656 $2,656

$3,778 $3,778

-29.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 $2,183

$2,641 $2,641

-17.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,162 $3,162

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,242 $4,242

$5,108 $5,108

-16.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.45

-0.16%

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

Last update for Clifton, NJ: June 1, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,717 in Clifton, NJ and $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Clifton, NJ vs $75.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 vs $377 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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

Clifton, NJ vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Clifton, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Austin, TX earns 20% less. 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: $1,717 in Clifton, NJ versus $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,726 in Clifton, NJ versus $1,387 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $101 in Clifton, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Clifton, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.