Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Garland, TX and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Garland, TX and in Austin, TX: $2,625 and $2,663 a month, rent and utilities included.

128

Cost of Living Index in Garland, TX
Learn more

Garland, TX Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Garland, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,625

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,625 in Garland, TX versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Garland, TX $2,625
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,796 in Garland, TX versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Garland, TX $3,796
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,967 in Garland, TX versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Garland, TX $4,967
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Garland, TX costs roughly 1% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Garland, TX 94% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.85 $19.85

$20.77 $20.77

-4.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 $54.4

$84.6 $84.6

-35.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$12.32 $12.32

-20.21%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$5.63 $5.63

-1.95%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$3.72 $3.72

-30.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.50 $2.50

-6.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 $5.40

$8.05 $8.05

-32.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 $7.65

$9.01 $9.01

-15.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.12 $1.12

-16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.75 $3.75

0.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.26 $3.26

62.27%

Eggs

$4.62 $4.62

$4.17 $4.17

10.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.56 $7.56

$12.90 $12.90

-41.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 $11.71

$14.16 $14.16

-17.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.20 $19.20

$16.22 $16.22

18.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$4.33 $4.33

26.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.46 $1.46

-11.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.51 $4.51

13.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.34 $4.34

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.58 $2.58

-22.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.35 $2.35

-9.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.78 $1.78

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.22 $2.22

-34.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.70 $9.70

$9.88 $9.88

-1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 $11.17

$15.08 $15.08

-25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.92 $2.92

-28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.46 $3.46

-3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.49 $1.49

102.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.4 $96.4

$41.72 $41.72

131.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.73 $2.73

12.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.66 $1.66

5.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.19 $24.19

$35.30 $35.30

-31.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.95 $0.95

-4.21%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$36.0K $36.0K

0.04%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

-4.45%

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

$201 $201

$229 $229

-12.21%

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

$54.0 $54.0

$59.4 $59.4

-9.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.3 $80.3

$69.9 $69.9

14.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.47 $39.47

$57.2 $57.2

-31.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 $16.76

$16.33 $16.33

2.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$14.28 $14.28

3.64%

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

$1,348 $1,348

$1,506 $1,506

-10.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$21.5K $21.5K

32.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 $59.8

$52.8 $52.8

13.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 $29.10

$43.82 $43.82

-33.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 $87.4

$84.8 $84.8

3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$103 $103

18.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 $1,494

$1,907 $1,907

-21.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,274 $1,274

-0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 $2,295

$3,664 $3,664

-37.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 $2,090

$2,538 $2,538

-17.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,247 $3,247

$7,614 $7,614

-57.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 $1,942

$3,157 $3,157

-38.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,670 $3,670

$5,121 $5,121

-28.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.79

-2.50%

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

Last update for Garland, TX: 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

Garland, TX

$1.3K 48.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 0.1% $1.8

Groceries & Markets

Garland, TX

$377 14.4%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 7.2% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Garland, TX

$335 12.8%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 6.9% $23

Eating Out

Garland, TX

$317 12.1%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 11.8% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Garland, TX

$134 5.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 4.6% $6.2

Getting Around

Garland, TX

$120 4.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 51.2% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Garland, TX

$69 2.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 24.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,494 in Garland, TX and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 40% 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 Garland, TX vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $405 per month, with Garland, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Garland, TX

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

10:53 10:53 AM

Same time as Garland, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

242,035

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Garland, TX Austin, TX 310 km

From you

Garland, TX
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

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

Garland, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Garland, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 40% 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: $1,494 in Garland, TX 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 $2,625 per month in Garland, TX versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Garland, TX runs roughly 131% 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. Garland, 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 Garland, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.