Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, AL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Decatur, AL: $1,929 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in Decatur, AL
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Decatur, AL Living Index
130

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

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Decatur, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,929

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,929 in Decatur, AL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Decatur, AL $1,929
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,725 in Decatur, AL versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Decatur, AL $2,725
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,520 in Decatur, AL versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Decatur, AL $3,520
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Decatur, AL costs roughly 28% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Decatur, AL 43% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.96 $14.96

$20.77 $20.77

-27.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.14 $43.14

$84.6 $84.6

-49.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$12.32 $12.32

-1.79%

Cappuccino

$4.40 $4.40

$5.63 $5.63

-21.85%

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

$1.24 $1.24

$3.72 $3.72

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.50 $2.50

-36.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$8.05 $8.05

-36.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$9.01 $9.01

-32.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.50 $0.50

$1.12 $1.12

-55.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.75 $3.75

-16.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.26 $3.26

-40.18%

Eggs

$2.49 $2.49

$4.17 $4.17

-40.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 $8.08

$12.90 $12.90

-37.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$14.16 $14.16

-60.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 $12.06

$16.22 $16.22

-25.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$4.33 $4.33

-30.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.46 $1.46

23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.51 $4.51

-42.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$4.34 $4.34

-55.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.58 $2.58

-44.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.35 $2.35

-29.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.78 $1.78

47.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.22 $2.22

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.69 $10.69

$9.88 $9.88

8.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 $12.83

$15.08 $15.08

-14.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.92 $2.92

-41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$3.46 $3.46

-52.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.73 $2.73

-26.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.66 $1.66

-16.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.86 $19.86

$35.30 $35.30

-43.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.95 $0.95

3.16%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

2.61%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$27.1K $27.1K

0.81%

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

$184 $184

$229 $229

-19.76%

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

$84.8 $84.8

$59.4 $59.4

42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.1 $74.1

$69.9 $69.9

6.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 $15.12

$14.28 $14.28

5.88%

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

$1,671 $1,671

$1,506 $1,506

10.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

13.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.82 $46.82

$52.8 $52.8

-11.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.58 $32.58

$43.82 $43.82

-25.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 $81.4

$84.8 $84.8

-3.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$103 $103

47.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 $1,008

$1,907 $1,907

-47.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$879 $879

$1,274 $1,274

-31.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$3,664 $3,664

-54.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 $1,364

$2,538 $2,538

-46.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,632 $1,632

$7,614 $7,614

-78.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,657 $1,657

$3,157 $3,157

-47.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.79

-2.80%

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

Last update for Decatur, AL: October 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Decatur, AL

$879 45.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 45% $395

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Decatur, AL

$343 17.8%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 4.6% $16

Groceries & Markets

Decatur, AL

$270 14%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 49.9% $135

Eating Out

Decatur, AL

$258 13.4%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 37.2% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Decatur, AL

$141 7.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Decatur, AL

$30 * 1.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 184% $56

Getting Around

Decatur, AL

$9 * 0.5%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 554% $50

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,008 in Decatur, AL and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Decatur, AL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $405 per month, with Decatur, AL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Decatur, AL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

02:39 2:39 AM

Same time as Decatur, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

77,047

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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Between locations

Decatur, AL Austin, TX 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Decatur, AL
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

Decatur, AL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Decatur, AL wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Decatur, AL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,893 in Decatur, AL and $3,995 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,008 in Decatur, AL versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,671 in Decatur, AL versus $1,506 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 Decatur, AL – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,929 in Decatur, AL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Decatur, AL but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Decatur, AL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Decatur, AL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.