Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth, NJ and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

156

Cost of Living Index in Elizabeth, NJ
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Elizabeth, NJ Living Index
129

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

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Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,186

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Elizabeth, NJ $3,186
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,453 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Elizabeth, NJ $4,453
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,720 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Elizabeth, NJ $5,720
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Elizabeth, NJ is roughly 18% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Elizabeth, NJ 135% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 $19.71

$20.63 $20.63

-4.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$84.6 $84.6

-4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$12.07 $12.07

-1.49%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$5.48 $5.48

-0.55%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$3.80 $3.80

-36.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.47 $2.47

-39.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.78 $7.78

$8.05 $8.05

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$8.88 $8.88

-19.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.11 $1.11

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.72 $3.72

20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.37 $3.37

76.85%

Eggs

$6.52 $6.52

$4.32 $4.32

50.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$13.13 $13.13

16.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$14.15 $14.15

-16.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 $19.73

$16.33 $16.33

20.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$4.55 $4.55

30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.46 $1.46

143.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.71 $4.71

-10.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.15 $4.15

30.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.58 $2.58

15.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.35 $2.35

25.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.77 $1.77

69.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.14 $2.14

17.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.62 $14.62

$10.10 $10.10

44.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$15.19 $15.19

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.82 $2.82

-4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.44 $3.44

-0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.54 $1.54

87.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 $76.0

$40.99 $40.99

85.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.80 $2.80

4.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.60 $1.60

31.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.39 $42.39

$34.34 $34.34

23.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.94 $0.94

15.96%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$34.0K $34.0K

-17.77%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.75%

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

$247 $247

$223 $223

11.10%

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

$51.0 $51.0

$58.9 $58.9

-13.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 $50.1

$70.6 $70.6

-29.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.78 $24.78

$57.7 $57.7

-57.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$20.03 $20.03

$14.26 $14.26

40.46%

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

$2,012 $2,012

$1,511 $1,511

33.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$20.9K $20.9K

-22.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.63 $49.63

$51.3 $51.3

-3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.6 $77.6

$44.17 $44.17

75.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$87.0 $87.0

1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$104 $104

16.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$1,940 $1,940

12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 $1,718

$1,316 $1,316

30.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$3,664 $3,664

-27.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 $2,492

$2,565 $2,565

-2.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,297 $1,297

$7,354 $7,354

-82.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 $1,143

$3,129 $3,129

-63.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,997 $3,997

$5,286 $5,286

-24.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.79

-1.77%

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

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Elizabeth, NJ

$1.7K 53.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 23.4% $401

Groceries & Markets

Elizabeth, NJ

$475 14.9%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 14.5% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elizabeth, NJ

$348 10.9%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 1.1% $3.7

Eating Out

Elizabeth, NJ

$328 10.3%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 6.9% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Elizabeth, NJ

$152 4.8%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 14.8% $22

Getting Around

Elizabeth, NJ

$101 3.2%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 42.6% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Elizabeth, NJ

$65 2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 33% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $475 vs $406, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

00:36 12:36 AM

23:36 11:36 PM

1 h behind Elizabeth, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

126,179

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

Elizabeth, NJ Austin, TX 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Elizabeth, NJ
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

Elizabeth, NJ vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX 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: $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ 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 $3,186 per month in Elizabeth, NJ versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 85% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX 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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.