Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Evanston, IL and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Evanston, IL and in Austin, TX: $2,592 and $2,663 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Evanston, IL
Learn more

Evanston, IL Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,592

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,592 in Evanston, IL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Evanston, IL $2,592
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,449 in Evanston, IL versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Evanston, IL $4,449
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,305 in Evanston, IL versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Evanston, IL $6,305
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Evanston, IL costs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Evanston, IL 92% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.26 $21.26

$20.77 $20.77

2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 $85.6

$84.6 $84.6

1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 $12.75

$12.32 $12.32

3.49%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$5.63 $5.63

0.89%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$3.72 $3.72

-27.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.50 $2.50

-9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 $7.12

$8.05 $8.05

-11.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$9.01 $9.01

-9.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.12 $1.12

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.75 $3.75

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$3.26 $3.26

32.52%

Eggs

$4.82 $4.82

$4.17 $4.17

15.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$12.90 $12.90

11.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$14.16 $14.16

5.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 $20.11

$16.22 $16.22

23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$4.33 $4.33

23.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.46 $1.46

14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.51 $4.51

-10.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.34 $4.34

10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.58 $2.58

3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.35 $2.35

21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.78 $1.78

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.22 $2.22

5.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$9.88 $9.88

7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$15.08 $15.08

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.92 $2.92

-12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.46 $3.46

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.49 $1.49

63.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 $75.2

$41.72 $41.72

80.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.73 $2.73

50.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.66 $1.66

-13.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.26 $43.26

$35.30 $35.30

22.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.95 $0.95

5.26%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-1.84%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

-7.82%

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

$192 $192

$229 $229

-16.19%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$59.4 $59.4

3.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$69.9 $69.9

3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$57.2 $57.2

32.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.8 $60.8

$16.33 $16.33

272.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$14.28 $14.28

3.85%

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

$1,516 $1,516

$1,506 $1,506

0.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

47.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 $64.7

$52.8 $52.8

22.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$43.82 $43.82

16.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$84.8 $84.8

27.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$103 $103

22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 $1,645

$1,907 $1,907

-13.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 $1,118

$1,274 $1,274

-12.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,989 $3,989

$3,664 $3,664

8.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,954 $2,954

$2,538 $2,538

16.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K $14.6K

$7,614 $7,614

91.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.8K $12.8K

$3,157 $3,157

305.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,335 $5,335

$5,121 $5,121

4.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.79

-0.29%

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

Last update for Evanston, IL: 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

Evanston, IL

$1.1K 43.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 14% $156

Groceries & Markets

Evanston, IL

$441 17%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 8.3% $36

Eating Out

Evanston, IL

$348 13.4%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 1.6% $5.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Evanston, IL

$326 12.6%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 10% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Evanston, IL

$157 6.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 18.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Evanston, IL

$106 4.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 18.9% $20

Getting Around

Evanston, IL

$96 3.7%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 39% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,645 in Evanston, IL and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Evanston, IL pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Evanston, IL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $441 vs $405 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

15:33 3:33 PM

Same time as Evanston, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,486

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Evanston, IL Austin, TX 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Evanston, IL
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

Evanston, IL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Evanston, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Evanston, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Evanston, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,645 in Evanston, IL 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 $2,592 per month in Evanston, IL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Evanston, IL runs roughly 80% 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 $3,000. Evanston, IL 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.

Safety-wise, Evanston, IL 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 Evanston, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.