Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,987 in College Park, MD versus $2,659 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,464 in College Park, MD versus $4,101 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,940 in College Park, MD versus $5,542 in Austin, TX.

Living in College Park, MD is roughly 12% more expensive than Austin, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: College Park, MD 123% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$19.63 $19.63

0.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$75.1 $75.1

8.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.92 $9.92

32.36%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$5.67 $5.67

-2.12%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$2.77 $2.77

0.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.17 $2.17

7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 $7.65

$7.77 $7.77

-1.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.09 $1.09

-16.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.41 $3.41

-1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.30 $7.30

$3.43 $3.43

112.83%

Eggs

$4.95 $4.95

$4.39 $4.39

12.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.79 $18.79

$11.95 $11.95

57.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$10.76 $10.76

-5.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.18 $16.18

$14.29 $14.29

13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$4.84 $4.84

31.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.55 $1.55

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.93 $7.93

$4.46 $4.46

77.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$3.91 $3.91

71.36%

Potato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.74 $2.74

77.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.74 $2.74

31.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.04 $2.04

11.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.25 $2.25

6.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.40 $11.40

$8.93 $8.93

27.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 $13.88

$14.85 $14.85

-6.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.35 $2.35

-27.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.57 $3.57

7.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.47 $1.47

39.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 $4.42

$4.28 $4.28

3.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.84 $1.84

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$35.54 $35.54

-17.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.72 $0.72

20.83%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.32%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

-4.27%

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

$221 $221

$174 $174

27.47%

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

$63.8 $63.8

$60.2 $60.2

5.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$66.3 $66.3

10.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 $40.02

$62.8 $62.8

-36.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$15.24 $15.24

-0.46%

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

$1,761 $1,761

$1,387 $1,387

26.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$22.2K $22.2K

9.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$56.7 $56.7

-4.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 $31.85

$45.34 $45.34

-29.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$86.5 $86.5

12.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 $178

$119 $119

49.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 $1,668

$2,247 $2,247

-25.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$1,430 $1,430

11.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,555 $3,555

$3,778 $3,778

-5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 $2,765

$2,641 $2,641

4.69%

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)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,108 $5,108

26.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.45

1.86%

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

Last update for College Park, MD: May 31, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,668 in College Park, MD and $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

College Park, MD pays 27% 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: $81.0 in College Park, MD vs $75.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 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

College Park, MD vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in College Park, MD. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

College Park, MD pays 27% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,668 in College Park, MD versus $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,761 in College Park, MD 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 $81.0 in College Park, MD. 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 12% less than in College Park, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.