Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Walton Beach, FL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Walton Beach, FL: $2,162 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 Fort Walton Beach, FL
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Fort Walton Beach, FL Living Index
130

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

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Fort Walton Beach, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,162

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,162 in Fort Walton Beach, FL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Fort Walton Beach, FL $2,162
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,344 in Fort Walton Beach, FL versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Fort Walton Beach, FL $3,344
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,526 in Fort Walton Beach, FL versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Fort Walton Beach, FL $4,526
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Fort Walton Beach, FL costs roughly 19% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Walton Beach, FL 60% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 $14.82

$20.77 $20.77

-28.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$84.6 $84.6

-5.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 $10.38

$12.32 $12.32

-15.75%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$5.63 $5.63

-12.61%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$3.72 $3.72

-29.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.50 $2.50

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$8.05 $8.05

-39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$9.01 $9.01

-21.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.12 $1.12

-8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.75 $3.75

-23.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.26 $3.26

-38.04%

Eggs

$3.02 $3.02

$4.17 $4.17

-27.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$12.90 $12.90

-11.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 $9.88

$14.16 $14.16

-30.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$16.22 $16.22

-13.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.33 $4.33

-18.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.46 $1.46

7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$4.51 $4.51

-28.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$4.34 $4.34

-33.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.58 $2.58

-44.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.35 $2.35

-12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.78 $1.78

-1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.22 $2.22

-31.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.20 $9.20

$9.88 $9.88

-6.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$15.08 $15.08

-41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.92 $2.92

-36.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.46 $3.46

-41.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.49 $1.49

36.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.66 $49.66

$41.72 $41.72

19.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.73 $2.73

124.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.66 $1.66

9.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.52 $45.52

$35.30 $35.30

28.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

-26.21%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

-6.82%

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

$171 $171

$229 $229

-25.24%

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

$49.37 $49.37

$59.4 $59.4

-16.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$69.9 $69.9

-7.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 $46.91

$57.2 $57.2

-18.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$13.39 $13.39

$14.28 $14.28

-6.23%

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

$826 $826

$1,506 $1,506

-45.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K $13.5K

$21.5K $21.5K

-36.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.36 $30.36

$52.8 $52.8

-42.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.91 $19.91

$43.82 $43.82

-54.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 $95.8

$84.8 $84.8

13.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$103 $103

2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 $1,643

$1,907 $1,907

-13.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 $1,048

$1,274 $1,274

-17.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 $2,842

$3,664 $3,664

-22.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 $2,008

$2,538 $2,538

-20.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,773 $4,773

$7,614 $7,614

-37.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,105 $5,105

$3,157 $3,157

61.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,269 $3,269

$5,121 $5,121

-36.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.79

-5.45%

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

Last update for Fort Walton Beach, FL: October 13, 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 Walton Beach, FL

$1K 48.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 21.6% $226

Groceries & Markets

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$304 14%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 33.3% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$285 13.2%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 25.7% $73

Eating Out

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$266 12.3%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 33.1% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$113 5.2%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 13.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$74 3.4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 16.4% $12

Getting Around

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$73 3.4%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 19.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,643 in Fort Walton Beach, FL and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 57% 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: $80.0 in Fort Walton Beach, FL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $405 per month, with Fort Walton Beach, FL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Walton Beach, FL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:32 1:32 PM

Same time as Fort Walton Beach, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,507

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

Fort Walton Beach, FL Austin, TX 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Fort Walton Beach, FL 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 Fort Walton Beach, FL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% 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: $1,643 in Fort Walton Beach, 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 $2,162 per month in Fort Walton Beach, FL 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 Fort Walton Beach, FL runs roughly 19% 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. Fort Walton Beach, FL 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 Fort Walton Beach, FL 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.