Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hickory, NC and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Hickory, NC: $2,078 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Hickory, NC
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Hickory, NC Living Index
125

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

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Hickory, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,078

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,078 in Hickory, NC versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Hickory, NC $2,078
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,962 in Hickory, NC versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Hickory, NC $2,962
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,847 in Hickory, NC versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Hickory, NC $3,847
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Hickory, NC costs roughly 20% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hickory, NC 53% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.01 $15.01

$20.35 $20.35

-26.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 $61.7

$84.7 $84.7

-27.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 $11.03

$12.12 $12.12

-8.99%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$5.65 $5.65

-11.50%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$3.68 $3.68

-39.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.36 $2.36

-33.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 $5.46

$7.87 $7.87

-30.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 $6.79

$8.82 $8.82

-23.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.14 $1.14

-25.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.69 $3.69

-1.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.31 $3.31

-5.74%

Eggs

$3.43 $3.43

$4.15 $4.15

-17.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 $10.74

$12.98 $12.98

-17.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 $8.98

$13.86 $13.86

-35.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.00 $17.00

$16.34 $16.34

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.69 $4.69

-14.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.45 $1.45

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$5.11 $5.11

-54.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.52 $4.52

-61.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.08 $3.08

-22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.38 $2.38

36.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.80 $1.80

-0.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.22 $2.22

-4.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 $9.00

$9.97 $9.97

-9.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$15.05 $15.05

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.91 $2.91

-42.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.33 $3.33

-12.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.59 $44.59

$40.53 $40.53

10.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.78 $2.78

-28.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.65 $1.65

37.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.72 $17.72

$35.39 $35.39

-49.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.95 $0.95

-13.68%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$34.2K $34.2K

-20.96%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.83%

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

$141 $141

$223 $223

-36.94%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$58.5 $58.5

2.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 $54.1

$71.2 $71.2

-24.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.46 $27.46

$53.0 $53.0

-48.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.27 $14.27

$14.06 $14.06

1.49%

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

$354 $354

$1,459 $1,459

-75.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$21.3K $21.3K

18.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.75 $40.75

$52.5 $52.5

-22.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.24 $20.24

$42.75 $42.75

-52.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.51 $39.51

$86.4 $86.4

-54.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 $49.94

$104 $104

-51.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$2,112 $2,112

-38.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 $1,030

$1,230 $1,230

-16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 $1,688

$3,863 $3,863

-56.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 $1,522

$2,407 $2,407

-36.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,141 $2,141

$7,426 $7,426

-71.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,163 $2,163

$3,060 $3,060

-29.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,526 $4,526

$5,179 $5,179

-12.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.53

6.82

-18.91%

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

Last update for Hickory, NC: October 27, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hickory, NC

$1K 49.6%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 19.5% $201

Groceries & Markets

Hickory, NC

$338 16.3%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 21.2% $72

Eating Out

Hickory, NC

$269 13%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 29.3% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hickory, NC

$255 12.3%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 38.5% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Hickory, NC

$68 3.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 89.7% $61

Getting Around

Hickory, NC

$63 3%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 10.1% $6.3

Sport & Entertainment

Hickory, NC

$56 2.7%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 44.9% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,299 in Hickory, NC and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 14% 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: $62 in Hickory, NC vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $410 per month, with Hickory, NC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hickory, NC

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

18:58 6:58 PM

17:58 5:58 PM

1 h behind Hickory, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,374

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Hickory, NC Austin, TX 1,640 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Hickory, NC
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

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

Hickory, NC wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Hickory, NC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Hickory, NC. 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: $1,299 in Hickory, NC versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,078 per month in Hickory, NC versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – Hickory, NC is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 9% less than in Hickory, NC. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Hickory, NC gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Hickory, NC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Hickory, NC wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.