Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between College Station, TX and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in College Station, TX: $2,165 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in College Station, TX
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College Station, TX Living Index
125

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

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College Station, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,165

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,165 in College Station, TX versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

College Station, TX $2,165
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,186 in College Station, TX versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

College Station, TX $3,186
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,206 in College Station, TX versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

College Station, TX $4,206
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in College Station, TX costs roughly 17% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: College Station, TX 59% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 $14.78

$20.35 $20.35

-27.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$84.7 $84.7

-7.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 $11.92

$12.12 $12.12

-1.65%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$5.65 $5.65

-0.71%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$3.68 $3.68

-23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.36 $2.36

-23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$7.87 $7.87

-37.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$8.82 $8.82

-12.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.14 $1.14

-28.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.69 $3.69

-10.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.31 $3.31

14.80%

Eggs

$2.90 $2.90

$4.15 $4.15

-30.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.98 $12.98

-6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 $9.34

$13.86 $13.86

-32.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$16.34 $16.34

-20.38%

Apples (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$4.69 $4.69

34.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.45 $1.45

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$5.11 $5.11

26.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.52 $4.52

5.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.08 $3.08

29.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.38 $2.38

24.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.80 $1.80

1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.22 $2.22

-16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 $9.96

$9.97 $9.97

-0.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 $14.17

$15.05 $15.05

-5.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.91 $2.91

-39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.33 $3.33

17.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.22 $1.22

-15.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.74 $45.74

$40.53 $40.53

12.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 $9.98

$2.78 $2.78

258.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.65 $1.65

10.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.9 $58.9

$35.39 $35.39

66.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.95 $0.95

2.11%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$34.2K $34.2K

-22.01%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.88%

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

$179 $179

$223 $223

-19.90%

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

$39.26 $39.26

$58.5 $58.5

-32.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 $55.7

$71.2 $71.2

-21.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 $24.49

$53.0 $53.0

-53.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 $17.46

$16.75 $16.75

4.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 $10.97

$14.06 $14.06

-21.98%

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

$740 $740

$1,459 $1,459

-49.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K $17.9K

$21.3K $21.3K

-16.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$52.5 $52.5

14.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.65 $38.65

$42.75 $42.75

-9.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 $84.9

$86.4 $86.4

-1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$104 $104

16.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 $1,267

$2,112 $2,112

-40.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 $986

$1,230 $1,230

-19.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 $1,848

$3,863 $3,863

-52.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 $1,531

$2,407 $2,407

-36.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 $2,392

$7,426 $7,426

-67.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,994 $1,994

$3,060 $3,060

-34.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,377 $4,377

$5,179 $5,179

-15.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.82

-3.67%

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

Last update for College Station, TX: October 25, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

College Station, TX

$986 45.6%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 24.8% $244

Groceries & Markets

College Station, TX

$374 17.3%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 9.7% $36

Eating Out

College Station, TX

$280 12.9%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 24.5% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

College Station, TX

$274 12.6%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 28.9% $79

Clothing & Footwear

College Station, TX

$137 6.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 6.3% $8.7

Getting Around

College Station, TX

$69 3.2%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 18.1% $12

Sport & Entertainment

College Station, TX

$46 2.1%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 74.8% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,267 in College Station, TX and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 18% 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: $79 in College Station, TX vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $410 per month, with College Station, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 College Station, TX

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

22:32 10:32 PM

Same time as College Station, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

120,511

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

College Station, TX Austin, TX 140 km

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

College Station, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making College Station, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in College Station, 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: $1,267 in College Station, TX versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,165 per month in College Station, TX versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 11% less than in College Station, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. College Station, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, College Station, TX is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – College Station, TX wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.