Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $2,971 in Colorado Springs, CO, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
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Colorado Springs, CO Living Index
130

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

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Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,971

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,971 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Colorado Springs, CO $2,971
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Colorado Springs, CO $4,310
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,650 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Colorado Springs, CO $5,650
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 12% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colorado Springs, CO 120% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$20.77 $20.77

-5.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 $84.8

$84.6 $84.6

0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.07 $13.07

$12.32 $12.32

6.09%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$5.63 $5.63

-3.73%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$3.72 $3.72

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.50 $2.50

-11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$8.05 $8.05

-25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 $7.27

$9.01 $9.01

-19.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.12 $1.12

-16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.75 $3.75

-15.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$3.26 $3.26

31.90%

Eggs

$5.98 $5.98

$4.17 $4.17

43.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 $14.66

$12.90 $12.90

13.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$14.16 $14.16

-6.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.69 $19.69

$16.22 $16.22

21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.33 $4.33

30.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.46 $1.46

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.51 $4.51

-1.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.34 $4.34

11.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.58 $2.58

-6.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.35 $2.35

9.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.78 $1.78

33.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.22 $2.22

-10.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.55 $10.55

$9.88 $9.88

6.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.04 $19.04

$15.08 $15.08

26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.92 $2.92

15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.46 $3.46

37.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.49 $1.49

18.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 $62.7

$41.72 $41.72

50.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.73 $2.73

36.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.66 $1.66

-15.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.85 $24.85

$35.30 $35.30

-29.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.95 $0.95

6.32%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-29.43%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.1K $27.1K

-6.33%

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

$204 $204

$229 $229

-11.08%

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

$94.0 $94.0

$59.4 $59.4

58.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 $103

$69.9 $69.9

46.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.0 $59.0

$57.2 $57.2

3.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.93 $32.93

$16.33 $16.33

101.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$14.28 $14.28

2.94%

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

$1,516 $1,516

$1,506 $1,506

0.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

12.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 $57.3

$52.8 $52.8

8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.61 $35.61

$43.82 $43.82

-18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 $80.4

$84.8 $84.8

-5.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 $1,758

$1,907 $1,907

-7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 $1,511

$1,274 $1,274

18.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$3,664 $3,664

-27.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$2,538 $2,538

-4.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,581 $2,581

$7,614 $7,614

-66.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,436 $2,436

$3,157 $3,157

-22.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,233 $4,233

$5,121 $5,121

-17.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.79

-1.03%

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

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: 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

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.5K 50.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 15.7% $237

Groceries & Markets

Colorado Springs, CO

$440 14.8%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 8.1% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colorado Springs, CO

$400 13.5%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 10.5% $42

Eating Out

Colorado Springs, CO

$326 11%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 8.5% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Colorado Springs, CO

$125 4.2%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 2.8% $3.5

Sport & Entertainment

Colorado Springs, CO

$88 3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 2.9% $2.6

Getting Around

Colorado Springs, CO

$81 2.7%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 27.1% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,758 in Colorado Springs, CO and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $440 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:08 3:08 AM

04:08 4:08 AM

1 h ahead of Colorado Springs, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

478,961

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Colorado Springs, CO Austin, TX 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Colorado Springs, CO
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

Colorado Springs, CO vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Colorado Springs, CO. 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, salaries run 21% 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: $1,758 in Colorado Springs, CO 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 $2,971 per month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 50% less than in Colorado Springs, CO. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Colorado Springs, CO 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Colorado Springs, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.