Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elko, NV and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Elko, NV and in Austin, TX: $2,632 and $2,698 a month, rent and utilities included.

Elko, NV, United States
Austin, TX, United States
Elko, NV
🇺🇸 United States
$2,632
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,632 in Elko, NV versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

  • Elko, NV $2,632
  • Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,813 in Elko, NV versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

  • Elko, NV $3,813
  • Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,995 in Elko, NV versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

  • Elko, NV $4,995
  • Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Elko, NV costs roughly 2% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Elko, NV 94% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.36 $20.36
$20.63 $20.63
-1.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.9 $74.9
$84.6 $84.6
-11.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.54 $11.54
$12.07 $12.07
-4.39%
Cappuccino
$5.46 $5.46
$5.48 $5.48
-0.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$3.80 $3.80
-30.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.47 $2.47
-18.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.03 $6.03
$8.05 $8.05
-25.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.38 $7.38
$8.88 $8.88
-16.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.11 $1.11
-9.01%
White Bread (500g)
$5.64 $5.64
$3.72 $3.72
51.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.40 $4.40
$3.37 $3.37
30.56%
Eggs
$4.15 $4.15
$4.32 $4.32
-3.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.52 $12.52
$13.13 $13.13
-4.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.56 $11.56
$14.15 $14.15
-18.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.30 $17.30
$16.33 $16.33
5.94%
Apples (1kg)
$4.87 $4.87
$4.55 $4.55
7.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.46 $1.46
4.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.39 $4.39
$4.71 $4.71
-6.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.60 $4.60
$4.15 $4.15
10.84%
Potato (1kg)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.58 $2.58
9.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.93 $2.93
$2.35 $2.35
24.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.77 $1.77
19.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$2.14 $2.14
6.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.06 $10.06
$10.10 $10.10
-0.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.79 $14.79
$15.19 $15.19
-2.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.82 $2.82
-29.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 $3.42
$3.44 $3.44
-0.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.88 $1.88
$1.54 $1.54
22.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.99 $40.99
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.16 $3.16
$2.80 $2.80
12.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.60 $1.60
7.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.57 $33.57
$34.34 $34.34
-2.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 $1.32
$0.94 $0.94
40.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K $27.8K
$34.0K $34.0K
-18.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K $23.1K
$26.8K $26.8K
-13.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 $202
$223 $223
-9.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.2 $75.2
$58.9 $58.9
27.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.2 $70.2
$70.6 $70.6
-0.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.44 $41.44
$57.7 $57.7
-28.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.53 $16.53
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.78 $13.78
$14.26 $14.26
-3.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,423 $1,423
$1,511 $1,511
-5.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.5K $23.5K
$20.9K $20.9K
12.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 $53.7
$51.3 $51.3
4.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.59 $41.59
$44.17 $44.17
-5.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 $86.8
$87.0 $87.0
-0.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 $116
$104 $104
10.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,587 $1,587
$1,940 $1,940
-18.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,318 $1,318
$1,316 $1,316
0.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,655 $2,655
$3,664 $3,664
-27.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,104 $2,104
$2,565 $2,565
-18.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,721 $2,721
$7,354 $7,354
-63.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,725 $2,725
$3,129 $3,129
-12.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elko, NV
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,085 $6,085
$5,286 $5,286
15.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.85
6.79
0.88%

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

Last update for Elko, NV: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Elko, NV
$1.3K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 0.1% $1.5
Groceries & Markets
Elko, NV
$418
Austin, TX
$406 2.9% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elko, NV
$347
Austin, TX
$352 1.5% $5.2
Eating Out
Elko, NV
$326
Austin, TX
$350 7.2% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Elko, NV
$134
Austin, TX
$129 3.7% $4.9
Sport & Entertainment
Elko, NV
$69
Austin, TX
$86 24.9% $17
Getting Around
Elko, NV
$19 *
Austin, TX
$58 200% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,587 in Elko, NV and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elko, NV pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75 in Elko, NV vs $85 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $418 vs $406, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Elko, NV
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
17:45 5:45 PM
19:45 7:45 PM
2 h ahead of Elko, NV
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,018
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Elko, NV Austin, TX 2,000 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Elko, NV
  • 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
Elko, NV vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Elko, NV or Austin, TX?
Elko, NV wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Elko, NV the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Elko, NV or in Austin, TX?
Average pay runs 15% higher in Elko, NV, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Elko, NV compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,587 in Elko, NV versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Elko, NV and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $1,423 in Elko, NV versus $1,511 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Elko, NV and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Elko, NV – a meal for two runs $75 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Elko, NV or in Austin, TX?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Elko, NV is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for families?
For families, Elko, NV is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Elko, NV vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?