Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Moines, IA: $2,171 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index
129

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

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Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Des Moines, IA costs roughly 20% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 60% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$20.63 $20.63

-4.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$84.6 $84.6

-4.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$12.07 $12.07

1.24%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$5.48 $5.48

12.41%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$3.80 $3.80

-22.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.47 $2.47

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$8.05 $8.05

-38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.88 $8.88

-33.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.11 $1.11

-18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.72 $3.72

-18.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.37 $3.37

0.30%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$4.32 $4.32

-7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$13.13 $13.13

-26.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$14.15 $14.15

-29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$16.33 $16.33

-16.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.55 $4.55

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.46 $1.46

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.71 $4.71

-3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$4.15 $4.15

-11.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.58 $2.58

18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.35 $2.35

-8.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.77 $1.77

34.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.14 $2.14

2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$10.10 $10.10

-22.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.19 $15.19

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.82 $2.82

-39.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.44 $3.44

-10.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.54 $1.54

12.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$40.99 $40.99

41.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.80 $2.80

-29.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.60 $1.60

-23.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$34.34 $34.34

-42.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.94 $0.94

-1.06%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$34.0K $34.0K

-20.02%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

-6.04%

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

$185 $185

$223 $223

-17.09%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$58.9 $58.9

-9.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$70.6 $70.6

-0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$57.7 $57.7

10.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$16.53 $16.53

21.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$14.26 $14.26

-29.94%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$1,511 $1,511

-21.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$20.9K $20.9K

-42.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$51.3 $51.3

16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$44.17 $44.17

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$87.0 $87.0

16.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$104 $104

39.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$1,940 $1,940

-39.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$1,316 $1,316

-33.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$3,664 $3,664

-52.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$2,565 $2,565

-45.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$7,354 $7,354

-68.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$3,129 $3,129

-25.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$5,286 $5,286

-31.02%

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 Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 50.9% $444

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 16.2% $57

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 7.1% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 14.2% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 17.7% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 3% $2.5

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 20.8% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 45% 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 Des Moines, IA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $406 per month, with Des Moines, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

Same time as Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

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

Des Moines, IA Austin, TX 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
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

Des Moines, IA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Des Moines, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 45% 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: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Des Moines, IA runs roughly 42% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Des Moines, IA but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Des Moines, IA 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.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA 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 Des Moines, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.