Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Wayne, IN and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Wayne, IN: $2,094 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in Fort Wayne, IN
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Fort Wayne, IN Living Index
130

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

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Fort Wayne, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,094

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,094 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Fort Wayne, IN $2,094
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,114 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Fort Wayne, IN $3,114
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,134 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Fort Wayne, IN $4,134
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Fort Wayne, IN costs roughly 21% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Wayne, IN 55% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.71 $14.71

$20.77 $20.77

-29.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 $54.0

$84.6 $84.6

-36.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 $10.02

$12.32 $12.32

-18.67%

Cappuccino

$4.51 $4.51

$5.63 $5.63

-19.89%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$3.72 $3.72

-40.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.50 $2.50

-16.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 $4.37

$8.05 $8.05

-45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$9.01 $9.01

-34.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.12 $1.12

-33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.75 $3.75

-18.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.26 $3.26

42.33%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$4.17 $4.17

-11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 $11.00

$12.90 $12.90

-14.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 $9.58

$14.16 $14.16

-32.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.96 $14.96

$16.22 $16.22

-7.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$4.33 $4.33

32.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.46 $1.46

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$4.51 $4.51

-16.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$4.34 $4.34

5.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.58 $2.58

-11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.35 $2.35

22.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.78 $1.78

34.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.22 $2.22

-44.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.54 $8.54

$9.88 $9.88

-13.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$15.08 $15.08

-19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.92 $2.92

-29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.46 $3.46

-0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.49 $1.49

50.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.46 $40.46

$41.72 $41.72

-3.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.73 $2.73

11.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.66 $1.66

-7.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.42 $26.42

$35.30 $35.30

-25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.95 $0.95

2.11%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$36.0K $36.0K

0.39%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

-6.78%

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

$203 $203

$229 $229

-11.52%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$59.4 $59.4

-15.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 $60.0

$69.9 $69.9

-14.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 $49.64

$57.2 $57.2

-13.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.90 $23.90

$16.33 $16.33

46.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 $13.20

$14.28 $14.28

-7.56%

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

$1,394 $1,394

$1,506 $1,506

-7.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$21.5K $21.5K

-6.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$52.8 $52.8

1.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 $39.60

$43.82 $43.82

-9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$84.8 $84.8

29.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 $94.3

$103 $103

-8.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 $1,215

$1,907 $1,907

-36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 $909

$1,274 $1,274

-28.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 $2,092

$3,664 $3,664

-42.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$2,538 $2,538

-37.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 $2,013

$7,614 $7,614

-73.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 $1,704

$3,157 $3,157

-46.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,442 $3,442

$5,121 $5,121

-32.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.79

-3.83%

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

Last update for Fort Wayne, IN: October 10, 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 Wayne, IN

$909 43.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 40.1% $365

Groceries & Markets

Fort Wayne, IN

$349 16.7%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 16.1% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Wayne, IN

$313 15%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 14.5% $45

Eating Out

Fort Wayne, IN

$253 12.1%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 40% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Wayne, IN

$134 6.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 4.4% $5.9

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Wayne, IN

$76 3.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 12.8% $9.8

Getting Around

Fort Wayne, IN

$60 2.9%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 2.3% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,215 in Fort Wayne, IN and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 49% 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: $54.0 in Fort Wayne, IN vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $405 per month, with Fort Wayne, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Wayne, IN

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

00:14 12:14 AM

23:14 11:14 PM

1 h behind Fort Wayne, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

248,637

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

Fort Wayne, IN Austin, TX 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Fort Wayne, IN
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 Wayne, IN vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Wayne, IN wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fort Wayne, IN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 49% 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: $1,215 in Fort Wayne, IN 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 $2,094 per month in Fort Wayne, IN versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Fort Wayne, IN runs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,094 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fort Wayne, IN but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Fort Wayne, IN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Wayne, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.