Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham, NC and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Durham, NC and in Austin, TX: $2,554 and $2,663 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Durham, NC
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Durham, NC Living Index
130

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

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Durham, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,554

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,554 in Durham, NC versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Durham, NC $2,554
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,914 in Durham, NC versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Durham, NC $3,914
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,274 in Durham, NC versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Durham, NC $5,274
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Durham, NC costs roughly 4% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Durham, NC 89% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.60 $15.60

$20.77 $20.77

-24.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 $103

$84.6 $84.6

22.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$12.32 $12.32

-18.34%

Cappuccino

$4.61 $4.61

$5.63 $5.63

-18.12%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$3.72 $3.72

-15.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.50 $2.50

-17.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$8.05 $8.05

-27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$9.01 $9.01

-22.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.12 $1.12

5.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.75 $3.75

32.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.26 $3.26

36.50%

Eggs

$3.48 $3.48

$4.17 $4.17

-16.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.27 $19.27

$12.90 $12.90

49.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.78 $16.78

$14.16 $14.16

18.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 $17.16

$16.22 $16.22

5.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$4.33 $4.33

32.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.46 $1.46

26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$4.51 $4.51

-16.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.34 $4.34

5.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.58 $2.58

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.35 $2.35

65.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.78 $1.78

52.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.22 $2.22

-11.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.98 $7.98

$9.88 $9.88

-19.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$15.08 $15.08

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.92 $2.92

-49.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.46 $3.46

15.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.49 $1.49

2.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.28 $25.28

$41.72 $41.72

-39.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.73 $2.73

-28.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 $0.60

$1.66 $1.66

-63.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.95 $0.95

1.05%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.78%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-8.49%

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

$224 $224

$229 $229

-2.20%

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

$56.2 $56.2

$59.4 $59.4

-5.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 $70.9

$69.9 $69.9

1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.70 $49.70

$57.2 $57.2

-13.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 $13.19

$14.28 $14.28

-7.63%

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

$1,542 $1,542

$1,506 $1,506

2.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.17 $44.17

$52.8 $52.8

-16.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.03 $34.03

$43.82 $43.82

-22.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$84.8 $84.8

8.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$103 $103

30.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 $1,710

$1,907 $1,907

-10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 $1,220

$1,274 $1,274

-4.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,543 $2,543

$3,664 $3,664

-30.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 $2,210

$2,538 $2,538

-12.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,757 $2,757

$7,614 $7,614

-63.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,680 $2,680

$3,157 $3,157

-15.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,585 $4,585

$5,121 $5,121

-10.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.79

0.29%

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

Last update for Durham, NC: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Durham, NC

$1.2K 47.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 4.4% $54

Groceries & Markets

Durham, NC

$459 18%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 11.8% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Durham, NC

$351 13.7%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 2.1% $7.3

Eating Out

Durham, NC

$274 10.7%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 29% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Durham, NC

$137 5.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 6.9% $9.4

Sport & Entertainment

Durham, NC

$76 3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 12.8% $9.7

Getting Around

Durham, NC

$36 1.4%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 61.5% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,710 in Durham, NC and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 12% 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: $103 in Durham, NC vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $405 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Durham, NC

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

01:07 1:07 AM

00:07 12:07 AM

1 h behind Durham, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

283,506

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

Durham, NC Austin, TX 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Durham, NC
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

Durham, NC vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durham, NC wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Durham, NC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $1,710 in Durham, NC 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 $2,554 per month in Durham, NC versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durham, NC runs roughly 65% less than in Austin, 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. Durham, NC is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Durham, NC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,554 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Durham, NC hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Durham, NC 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 Durham, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.