Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Independence, KS and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, KS: $2,034 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

97

Cost of Living Index in Independence, KS
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Independence, KS Living Index
128

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

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Independence, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,034

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,034 in Independence, KS versus $2,689 in Austin, TX.

Independence, KS $2,034
Austin, TX $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,012 in Independence, KS versus $4,112 in Austin, TX.

Independence, KS $3,012
Austin, TX $4,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,990 in Independence, KS versus $5,534 in Austin, TX.

Independence, KS $3,990
Austin, TX $5,534

Living in Independence, KS costs roughly 24% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Independence, KS 50% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.98 $19.98

$21.34 $21.34

-6.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$87.9 $87.9

-14.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 $11.47

$12.44 $12.44

-7.80%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$5.60 $5.60

-3.39%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$3.65 $3.65

-25.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.39 $2.39

-15.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.82 $7.82

-25.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 $7.34

$8.75 $8.75

-16.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.12 $1.12

-9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.62 $3.62

-0.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.50 $3.50

14.86%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$4.45 $4.45

-8.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 $12.21

$13.18 $13.18

-7.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 $12.46

$13.94 $13.94

-10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 $17.26

$16.46 $16.46

4.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.73 $4.73

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.50 $1.50

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.64 $4.64

-3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.52 $4.52

-6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.55 $2.55

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.39 $2.39

17.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.84 $1.84

14.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.13 $2.13

7.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 $10.27

$10.05 $10.05

2.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.88 $14.88

1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.82 $2.82

-29.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.29 $3.29

7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.23 $1.23

82.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 $64.7

$41.43 $41.43

56.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.68 $2.68

19.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.63 $1.63

20.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.80 $30.80

$35.20 $35.20

-12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.98 $0.98

2.04%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$34.4K $34.4K

-17.38%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.07%

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

$201 $201

$252 $252

-20.26%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$59.8 $59.8

-4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$69.7 $69.7

-0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.52 $39.52

$60.4 $60.4

-34.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$13.75 $13.75

1.45%

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

$1,389 $1,389

$1,458 $1,458

-4.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

-20.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

$52.6 $52.6

1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 $44.07

$45.76 $45.76

-3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$85.5 $85.5

5.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$106 $106

5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 $1,591

$2,195 $2,195

-27.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 $695

$1,269 $1,269

-45.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,539 $2,539

$4,000 $4,000

-36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 $1,051

$2,406 $2,406

-56.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 $2,430

$7,381 $7,381

-67.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,663 $2,663

$2,964 $2,964

-10.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,237 $5,237

$5,043 $5,043

3.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.82

-3.37%

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

Last update for Independence, KS: November 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Independence, KS

$695 34.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2% 82.5% $574

Groceries & Markets

Independence, KS

$401 19.7%

Austin, TX

$407 15.2% 1.7% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Independence, KS

$328 16.1%

Austin, TX

$382 14.2% 16.5% $54

Eating Out

Independence, KS

$322 15.8%

Austin, TX

$356 13.2% 10.6% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Independence, KS

$135 6.6%

Austin, TX

$130 4.9% 3.3% $4.5

Getting Around

Independence, KS

$87 4.3%

Austin, TX

$57 2.1% 34% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Independence, KS

$67 3.3%

Austin, TX

$88 3.3% 30.3% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,591 in Independence, KS and $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Independence, KS pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75 in Independence, KS vs $88 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $407 per month, with Independence, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Independence, KS

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

07:21 7:21 AM

Same time as Independence, KS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,213

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Independence, KS Austin, TX 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Independence, KS
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

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

Independence, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Independence, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Independence, KS, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,591 in Independence, KS versus $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,389 in Independence, KS versus $1,458 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 Independence, KS – a meal for two runs $75 versus $88 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Independence, KS 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.