Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Framingham, MA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,472 in Framingham, MA, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Framingham, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Framingham, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,472
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,472 in Framingham, MA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

  • Framingham, MA $3,472
  • Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,893 in Framingham, MA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

  • Framingham, MA $4,893
  • Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,314 in Framingham, MA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

  • Framingham, MA $6,314
  • Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Framingham, MA is roughly 29% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Framingham, MA 156% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.15 $18.15
$20.63 $20.63
-12.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.8 $94.8
$84.6 $84.6
12.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.59 $13.59
$12.07 $12.07
12.59%
Cappuccino
$4.49 $4.49
$5.48 $5.48
-18.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 $2.93
$3.80 $3.80
-22.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$2.47 $2.47
-6.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.07 $5.07
$8.05 $8.05
-37.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48 $5.48
$8.88 $8.88
-38.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.11 $1.11
-6.31%
White Bread (500g)
$3.94 $3.94
$3.72 $3.72
5.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$3.37 $3.37
58.75%
Eggs
$4.92 $4.92
$4.32 $4.32
13.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.40 $11.40
$13.13 $13.13
-13.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.93 $8.93
$14.15 $14.15
-36.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.65 $17.65
$16.33 $16.33
8.08%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 $3.70
$4.55 $4.55
-18.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 $1.75
$1.46 $1.46
19.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.63 $6.63
$4.71 $4.71
40.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.45 $5.45
$4.15 $4.15
31.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.58 $2.58
-21.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.89 $2.89
$2.35 $2.35
22.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.04 $3.04
$1.77 $1.77
71.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 $2.53
$2.14 $2.14
18.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.70 $13.70
$10.10 $10.10
35.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.70 $13.70
$15.19 $15.19
-9.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$2.82 $2.82
-24.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 $4.15
$3.44 $3.44
20.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.54 $1.54
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.99 $40.99
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.80 $2.80
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.60 $1.60
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$34.34 $34.34
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 $0.91
$0.94 $0.94
-3.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K $27.4K
$34.0K $34.0K
-19.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$26.8K $26.8K
-0.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$323 $323
$223 $223
44.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.62 $29.62
$58.9 $58.9
-49.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.8 $84.8
$70.6 $70.6
20.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.59 $24.59
$57.7 $57.7
-57.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.96 $24.96
$16.53 $16.53
51.00%
Cinema Ticket
$9.97 $9.97
$14.26 $14.26
-30.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,854 $1,854
$1,511 $1,511
22.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.4K $30.4K
$20.9K $20.9K
45.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.59 $40.59
$51.3 $51.3
-20.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.29 $30.29
$44.17 $44.17
-31.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.3 $69.3
$87.0 $87.0
-20.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.4 $59.4
$104 $104
-43.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 $2,075
$1,940 $1,940
6.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,188 $2,188
$1,316 $1,316
66.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,912 $3,912
$3,664 $3,664
6.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,514 $3,514
$2,565 $2,565
36.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,354 $7,354
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,129 $3,129
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Framingham, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,896 $4,896
$5,286 $5,286
-7.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.64
6.79
-2.21%

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

Last update for Framingham, MA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Framingham, MA
$2.2K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 39.8% $872
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Framingham, MA
$437
Austin, TX
$352 19.4% $85
Groceries & Markets
Framingham, MA
$406
Austin, TX
$406 0.1% $0.3
Eating Out
Framingham, MA
$297
Austin, TX
$350 17.9% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Framingham, MA
$90
Austin, TX
$129 43.7% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Framingham, MA
$45
Austin, TX
$86 93.6% $42
Getting Around
Framingham, MA
$9.2 *
Austin, TX
$58 528% $49

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 $2,075 in Framingham, MA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Framingham, MA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $406, with Framingham, MA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Framingham, MA
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
22:22 10:22 PM
21:22 9:22 PM
1 h behind Framingham, MA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
68,318
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Framingham, MA Austin, TX 2,700 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Framingham, MA
  • 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
Framingham, MA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Framingham, MA or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Framingham, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Framingham, MA or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 8% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Framingham, MA compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,075 in Framingham, MA 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 Framingham, MA and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $1,854 in Framingham, MA 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 Framingham, MA and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $95.0 in Framingham, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Framingham, MA or in Austin, TX?
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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Framingham, MA or Austin, TX?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Framingham, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Framingham, MA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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