Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, MO: $2,107 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in Independence, MO
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Independence, MO Living Index
129

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

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Independence, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,107

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,107 in Independence, MO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Independence, MO $2,107
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,070 in Independence, MO versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Independence, MO $3,070
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,033 in Independence, MO versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Independence, MO $4,033
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Independence, MO costs roughly 22% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Independence, MO 56% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 $20.09

$20.63 $20.63

-2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 $77.2

$84.6 $84.6

-8.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 $12.67

$12.07 $12.07

4.97%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$5.48 $5.48

-6.02%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.80 $3.80

-28.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.47 $2.47

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$8.05 $8.05

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$8.88 $8.88

-16.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.11 $1.11

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.72 $3.72

-14.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$3.37 $3.37

30.56%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$4.32 $4.32

-1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 $11.44

$13.13 $13.13

-12.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 $9.61

$14.15 $14.15

-32.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 $13.69

$16.33 $16.33

-16.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.55 $4.55

-0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.46 $1.46

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.71 $4.71

-6.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$4.15 $4.15

0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.58 $2.58

20.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.35 $2.35

20.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.77 $1.77

9.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.14 $2.14

-1.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 $7.96

$10.10 $10.10

-21.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.19 $15.19

-2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.82 $2.82

-35.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.44 $3.44

15.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.80 $2.80

-11.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.60 $1.60

-21.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 $25.39

$34.34 $34.34

-26.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.94 $0.94

4.26%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$34.0K $34.0K

-5.31%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.80%

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

$252 $252

$223 $223

13.00%

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

$64.3 $64.3

$58.9 $58.9

9.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$70.6 $70.6

2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 $14.87

$14.26 $14.26

4.28%

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

$962 $962

$1,511 $1,511

-36.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

$20.9K $20.9K

-6.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 $58.8

$51.3 $51.3

14.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.72 $39.72

$44.17 $44.17

-10.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$87.0 $87.0

9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$104 $104

18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 $1,004

$1,940 $1,940

-48.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 $843

$1,316 $1,316

-35.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 $2,045

$3,664 $3,664

-44.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 $1,303

$2,565 $2,565

-49.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,495 $1,495

$7,354 $7,354

-79.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,516 $3,516

$5,286 $5,286

-33.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.79

-3.39%

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

Last update for Independence, MO: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Independence, MO

$843 40%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 56.1% $473

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Independence, MO

$388 18.4%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 9.2% $36

Groceries & Markets

Independence, MO

$366 17.4%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 10.9% $40

Eating Out

Independence, MO

$329 15.6%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 6.4% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Independence, MO

$143 6.8%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 9.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Independence, MO

$30 * 1.4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 190% $56

Getting Around

Independence, MO

$8.8 * 0.4%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 561% $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 $1,004 in Independence, MO and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 50% 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: $77.0 in Independence, MO vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $406 per month, with Independence, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Independence, MO

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

20:51 8:51 PM

Same time as Independence, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,213

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Independence, MO Austin, TX 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Independence, MO wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Independence, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 50% 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: $1,004 in Independence, MO versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $962 in Independence, MO versus $1,511 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, MO – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,107 in Independence, MO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Independence, MO but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Independence, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Independence, MO 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 Independence, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.