Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Eau Claire, WI and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Eau Claire, WI: $2,167 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Eau Claire, WI
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Eau Claire, WI Living Index
130

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

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Eau Claire, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,167

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,167 in Eau Claire, WI versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Eau Claire, WI $2,167
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,120 in Eau Claire, WI versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Eau Claire, WI $3,120
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,073 in Eau Claire, WI versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Eau Claire, WI $4,073
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Eau Claire, WI costs roughly 19% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Eau Claire, WI 60% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 $18.39

$20.77 $20.77

-11.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 $67.4

$84.6 $84.6

-20.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$12.32 $12.32

-19.32%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$5.63 $5.63

-4.26%

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

$2.85 $2.85

$3.72 $3.72

-23.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.50 $2.50

-38.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 $3.95

$8.05 $8.05

-50.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$9.01 $9.01

-33.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.12 $1.12

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.75 $3.75

-9.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$3.26 $3.26

31.90%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$4.17 $4.17

-12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.66 $12.66

$12.90 $12.90

-1.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$14.16 $14.16

-5.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 $14.59

$16.22 $16.22

-10.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$4.33 $4.33

5.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.46 $1.46

-15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.51 $4.51

-28.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.34 $4.34

14.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.58 $2.58

12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.35 $2.35

26.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.78 $1.78

-17.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.22 $2.22

6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.80 $9.80

$9.88 $9.88

-0.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$15.08 $15.08

-2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.92 $2.92

-26.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.46 $3.46

31.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.49 $1.49

43.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.7 $50.7

$41.72 $41.72

21.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.73 $2.73

45.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.66 $1.66

19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.38 $44.38

$35.30 $35.30

25.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.95 $0.95

-2.11%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.0K $36.0K

-0.92%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

-7.49%

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

$216 $216

$229 $229

-5.72%

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

$48.23 $48.23

$59.4 $59.4

-18.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$69.9 $69.9

-1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 $54.2

$57.2 $57.2

-5.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 $19.64

$16.33 $16.33

20.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 $11.37

$14.28 $14.28

-20.38%

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

$997 $997

$1,506 $1,506

-33.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$21.5K $21.5K

7.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.71 $48.71

$52.8 $52.8

-7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.95 $29.95

$43.82 $43.82

-31.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$84.8 $84.8

27.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 $81.7

$103 $103

-20.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 $1,012

$1,907 $1,907

-46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 $883

$1,274 $1,274

-30.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 $1,840

$3,664 $3,664

-49.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 $1,286

$2,538 $2,538

-49.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 $1,965

$7,614 $7,614

-74.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,980 $1,980

$3,157 $3,157

-37.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,888 $3,888

$5,121 $5,121

-24.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.79

-2.06%

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

Last update for Eau Claire, WI: 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

Eau Claire, WI

$883 40.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 44.3% $391

Groceries & Markets

Eau Claire, WI

$388 17.9%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 4.2% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Eau Claire, WI

$333 15.4%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 7.6% $25

Eating Out

Eau Claire, WI

$291 13.4%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 21.6% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Eau Claire, WI

$121 5.6%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 5.9% $7.2

Sport & Entertainment

Eau Claire, WI

$77 3.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 11.5% $8.8

Getting Around

Eau Claire, WI

$73 3.4%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 19.8% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Eau Claire, WI and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 32% 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: $67.0 in Eau Claire, WI vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $405 per month, with Eau Claire, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Eau Claire, WI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

02:25 2:25 AM

Same time as Eau Claire, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

68,802

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Eau Claire, WI Austin, TX 1,710 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Eau Claire, WI
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

Eau Claire, WI vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eau Claire, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Eau Claire, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $1,012 in Eau Claire, WI 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 $2,167 per month in Eau Claire, WI versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Eau Claire, WI runs roughly 22% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,167 in Eau Claire, WI versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Eau Claire, WI but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Eau Claire, WI 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 Eau Claire, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.