Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between East Chicago, IN and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in East Chicago, IN and in Austin, TX: $2,605 and $2,607 a month, rent and utilities included.

126

Cost of Living Index in East Chicago, IN
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East Chicago, IN Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

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East Chicago, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,605 in East Chicago, IN versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

East Chicago, IN $2,605
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,819 in East Chicago, IN versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

East Chicago, IN $3,819
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,034 in East Chicago, IN versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

East Chicago, IN $5,034
Austin, TX $5,454

Monthly costs are close between East Chicago, IN and Austin, TX; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: East Chicago, IN 91% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.32 $22.32

$20.35 $20.35

9.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$84.7 $84.7

-23.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$12.12 $12.12

-2.06%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.65 $5.65

-0.35%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$3.68 $3.68

-38.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.36 $2.36

-13.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$7.87 $7.87

-13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 $6.27

$8.82 $8.82

-28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.14 $1.14

-7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.69 $3.69

-17.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.31 $3.31

43.50%

Eggs

$3.58 $3.58

$4.15 $4.15

-13.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$12.98 $12.98

3.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$13.86 $13.86

-10.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 $18.70

$16.34 $16.34

14.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$4.69 $4.69

8.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.45 $1.45

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$5.11 $5.11

-16.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.52 $4.52

-8.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.08 $3.08

-9.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.38 $2.38

28.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.80 $1.80

23.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.22 $2.22

0.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 $10.24

$9.97 $9.97

2.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.19 $17.19

$15.05 $15.05

14.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.91 $2.91

-31.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.33 $3.33

-6.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.22 $1.22

52.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.53 $40.53

26.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.78 $2.78

22.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.65 $1.65

-5.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 $28.94

$35.39 $35.39

-18.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.95 $0.95

-1.05%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$34.2K $34.2K

-15.73%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-6.89%

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

$199 $199

$223 $223

-10.69%

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

$57.1 $57.1

$58.5 $58.5

-2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$71.2 $71.2

-2.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.38 $34.38

$53.0 $53.0

-35.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 $12.97

$14.06 $14.06

-7.75%

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

$1,336 $1,336

$1,459 $1,459

-8.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K $21.6K

$21.3K $21.3K

1.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 $55.8

$52.5 $52.5

6.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 $37.96

$42.75 $42.75

-11.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 $91.3

$86.4 $86.4

5.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$104 $104

4.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,112 $2,112

-25.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 $1,265

$1,230 $1,230

2.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,539 $2,539

$3,863 $3,863

-34.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 $2,140

$2,407 $2,407

-11.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,920 $2,920

$7,426 $7,426

-60.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,165 $2,165

$3,060 $3,060

-29.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,091 $4,091

$5,179 $5,179

-21.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.82

-3.67%

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

Last update for East Chicago, IN: October 24, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

East Chicago, IN

$1.3K 48.6%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 2.7% $35

Groceries & Markets

East Chicago, IN

$406 15.6%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 0.9% $3.8

Eating Out

East Chicago, IN

$346 13.3%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 0.7% $2.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

East Chicago, IN

$326 12.5%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 8.2% $27

Clothing & Footwear

East Chicago, IN

$132 5.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 2.6% $3.5

Getting Around

East Chicago, IN

$70 2.7%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 19.2% $13

Sport & Entertainment

East Chicago, IN

$60 2.3%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 34.6% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,578 in East Chicago, IN and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 27% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $65 in East Chicago, IN vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $410 per month, with East Chicago, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 East Chicago, IN

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:21 8:21 AM

Same time as East Chicago, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,370

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

East Chicago, IN Austin, TX 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

East Chicago, IN
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

East Chicago, IN vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in East Chicago, IN. 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: $1,578 in East Chicago, IN versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 21% less than in East Chicago, IN. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Dining out is cheaper in East Chicago, IN – a meal for two runs $65 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. East Chicago, IN 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.

It comes down to priorities – East Chicago, IN wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.