Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, SC and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbia, SC: $2,222 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Columbia, SC
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Columbia, SC Living Index
130

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

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Columbia, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,222

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,222 in Columbia, SC versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Columbia, SC $2,222
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,421 in Columbia, SC versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Columbia, SC $3,421
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,621 in Columbia, SC versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Columbia, SC $4,621
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Columbia, SC 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: Columbia, SC 65% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 $20.14

$20.77 $20.77

-3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 $59.6

$84.6 $84.6

-29.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.82 $11.82

$12.32 $12.32

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$5.63 $5.63

-4.44%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$3.72 $3.72

-27.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.50 $2.50

-12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 $5.59

$8.05 $8.05

-30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 $6.43

$9.01 $9.01

-28.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.12 $1.12

-29.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.75 $3.75

-31.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$3.26 $3.26

46.63%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$4.17 $4.17

-2.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$12.90 $12.90

-19.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 $11.42

$14.16 $14.16

-19.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$16.22 $16.22

0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$4.33 $4.33

21.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.46 $1.46

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$4.51 $4.51

47.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$4.34 $4.34

35.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.58 $2.58

24.03%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.35 $2.35

79.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.78 $1.78

12.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.22 $2.22

-22.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.48 $8.48

$9.88 $9.88

-14.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.20 $16.20

$15.08 $15.08

7.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.92 $2.92

-35.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.46 $3.46

-20.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.49 $1.49

38.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.69 $39.69

$41.72 $41.72

-4.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.73 $2.73

-27.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.66 $1.66

-9.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.24 $18.24

$35.30 $35.30

-48.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.95 $0.95

-4.21%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.46%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.1K $27.1K

-7.26%

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

$279 $279

$229 $229

21.77%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$59.4 $59.4

-0.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 $63.2

$69.9 $69.9

-9.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 $36.80

$57.2 $57.2

-35.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.86 $17.86

$16.33 $16.33

9.37%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 $15.30

$14.28 $14.28

7.14%

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

$1,128 $1,128

$1,506 $1,506

-25.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

3.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$52.8 $52.8

-2.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.54 $39.54

$43.82 $43.82

-9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 $81.7

$84.8 $84.8

-3.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$103 $103

11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 $1,253

$1,907 $1,907

-34.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 $853

$1,274 $1,274

-33.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 $2,127

$3,664 $3,664

-41.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,747 $1,747

$2,538 $2,538

-31.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,153 $2,153

$7,614 $7,614

-71.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,636 $1,636

$3,157 $3,157

-48.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,287 $3,287

$5,121 $5,121

-35.82%

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 Columbia, SC: 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

Columbia, SC

$853 38.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 49.4% $421

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Columbia, SC

$401 18.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 10.7% $43

Groceries & Markets

Columbia, SC

$392 17.7%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 3.1% $12

Eating Out

Columbia, SC

$321 14.5%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 10.1% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Columbia, SC

$129 5.8%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 1.2% $1.5

Sport & Entertainment

Columbia, SC

$67 3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 27.3% $18

Getting Around

Columbia, SC

$57 2.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 2.2% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,253 in Columbia, SC and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 56% 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: $60.0 in Columbia, SC vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $405 per month, with Columbia, SC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Columbia, SC

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:52 11:52 AM

10:52 10:52 AM

1 h behind Columbia, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

139,698

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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Highest

Between locations

Columbia, SC Austin, TX 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Columbia, SC
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

Columbia, SC vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Columbia, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 56% 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: $1,253 in Columbia, SC 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 $2,222 per month in Columbia, SC versus $2,663 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 Columbia, SC runs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,222 in Columbia, SC versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Columbia, SC but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Columbia, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Columbia, SC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,222 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Columbia, SC hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Columbia, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.