Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilton Head Island, SC and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilton Head Island, SC and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,950 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $2,657 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,822 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $4,101 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,694 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $5,546 in Austin, TX.

Living in Hilton Head Island, SC is roughly 11% more expensive than Austin, TX, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hilton Head Island, SC 120% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$19.85 $19.85

-0.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$74.5 $74.5

-19.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$10.03 $10.03

21.34%

Cappuccino

$4.77 $4.77

$5.52 $5.52

-13.59%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.78 $2.78

3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.10 $2.10

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.04 $6.04

-20.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 $5.38

$7.81 $7.81

-31.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.13 $1.13

-33.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.45 $3.45

4.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.42 $3.42

-9.36%

Eggs

$2.86 $2.86

$4.37 $4.37

-34.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$12.24 $12.24

-28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 $9.35

$10.79 $10.79

-13.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 $13.16

$14.36 $14.36

-8.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.99 $4.99

-13.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.51 $1.51

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$4.38 $4.38

-28.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.77 $2.77

24.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.98 $1.98

51.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.28 $2.28

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.74 $8.74

-8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.81 $14.81

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.26 $2.26

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.58 $3.58

-8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.54 $1.54

31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.09 $43.09

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.45 $4.45

-7.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.81 $1.81

40.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.80 $24.80

$35.30 $35.30

-29.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.74 $0.74

-6.76%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

4.88%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

-6.54%

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

$197 $197

$170 $170

15.74%

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

$43.99 $43.99

$60.3 $60.3

-26.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 $61.4

$67.0 $67.0

-8.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.63 $19.63

$61.6 $61.6

-68.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$15.14 $15.14

-7.20%

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

$1,294 $1,294

$1,381 $1,381

-6.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K $11.2K

$21.8K $21.8K

-48.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 $35.60

$56.9 $56.9

-37.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 $35.57

$45.94 $45.94

-22.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 $79.0

$86.0 $86.0

-8.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 $70.1

$119 $119

-41.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,128 $2,128

$2,183 $2,183

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 $1,783

$1,417 $1,417

25.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 $2,273

$3,801 $3,801

-40.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,225 $2,225

$2,711 $2,711

-17.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,630 $3,630

$7,204 $7,204

-49.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,722 $3,722

$3,239 $3,239

14.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,426 $3,426

$4,914 $4,914

-30.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.45

1.24%

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

Last update for Hilton Head Island, SC: April 28, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,128 in Hilton Head Island, SC and $2,183 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $74.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $379 per month, with Hilton Head Island, SC cheaper across the board.

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

Hilton Head Island, SC vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hilton Head Island, SC and Austin, TX differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,950 vs $2,657 including rent). Austin, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Austin, TX earns 43% less. 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: $2,128 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $2,183 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,294 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $1,381 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $60.0 in Hilton Head Island, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

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.

Safety-wise, Hilton Head Island, SC and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Hilton Head Island, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.