Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Myers, FL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,034 in Fort Myers, FL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Fort Myers, FL
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Fort Myers, FL Living Index
130

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

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Fort Myers, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,034

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,034 in Fort Myers, FL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Fort Myers, FL $3,034
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,394 in Fort Myers, FL versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Fort Myers, FL $4,394
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,753 in Fort Myers, FL versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Fort Myers, FL $5,753
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Fort Myers, FL is roughly 14% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Myers, FL 125% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.92 $24.92

$20.77 $20.77

19.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$84.6 $84.6

-6.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 $12.46

$12.32 $12.32

1.14%

Cappuccino

$4.49 $4.49

$5.63 $5.63

-20.25%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$3.72 $3.72

-27.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.50 $2.50

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$8.05 $8.05

-39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$9.01 $9.01

-32.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.12 $1.12

-8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.75 $3.75

22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.26 $3.26

52.45%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$4.17 $4.17

-2.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.48 $9.48

$12.90 $12.90

-26.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 $10.57

$14.16 $14.16

-25.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.79 $19.79

$16.22 $16.22

22.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$4.33 $4.33

42.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.46 $1.46

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$4.51 $4.51

-5.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.34 $4.34

25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.58 $2.58

6.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.35 $2.35

61.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.78 $1.78

54.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.22 $2.22

-19.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 $9.02

$9.88 $9.88

-8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.77 $16.77

$15.08 $15.08

11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.92 $2.92

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.46 $3.46

-36.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.49 $1.49

34.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.37 $39.37

$41.72 $41.72

-5.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.73 $2.73

45.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.66 $1.66

13.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.65 $23.65

$35.30 $35.30

-33.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.95 $0.95

8.42%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

-6.66%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

-4.46%

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

$192 $192

$229 $229

-15.95%

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

$64.0 $64.0

$59.4 $59.4

7.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 $80.9

$69.9 $69.9

15.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.57 $45.57

$57.2 $57.2

-20.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 $19.95

$16.33 $16.33

22.17%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 $17.91

$14.28 $14.28

25.42%

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

$1,915 $1,915

$1,506 $1,506

27.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.2K $41.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

91.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.85 $46.85

$52.8 $52.8

-11.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 $41.22

$43.82 $43.82

-5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$84.8 $84.8

3.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 $98.3

$103 $103

-4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 $1,791

$1,907 $1,907

-6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 $1,670

$1,274 $1,274

31.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,952 $2,952

$3,664 $3,664

-19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,714 $2,714

$2,538 $2,538

6.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,673 $2,673

$7,614 $7,614

-64.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,157 $3,157

-14.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,747 $3,747

$5,121 $5,121

-26.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.79

-2.36%

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

Last update for Fort Myers, FL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fort Myers, FL

$1.7K 55%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 23.7% $396

Groceries & Markets

Fort Myers, FL

$416 13.7%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 2.7% $11

Eating Out

Fort Myers, FL

$346 11.4%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 2.3% $8.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Myers, FL

$337 11.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 6.2% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Myers, FL

$123 4.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 3.8% $4.7

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Myers, FL

$81 2.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 5.4% $4.4

Getting Around

Fort Myers, FL

$61 2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 3.5% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,791 in Fort Myers, FL and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Fort Myers, FL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Myers, FL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:25 11:25 AM

10:25 10:25 AM

1 h behind Fort Myers, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

68,190

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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Highest

Between locations

Fort Myers, FL Austin, TX 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Fort Myers, FL
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

Fort Myers, FL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Fort Myers, FL. 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 37% 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: $1,791 in Fort Myers, FL 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 $3,034 per month in Fort Myers, FL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 6% less than in Fort Myers, FL. 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 14% less than in Fort Myers, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.