Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalamazoo, MI and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalamazoo, MI: $2,052 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

98

Cost of Living Index in Kalamazoo, MI
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Kalamazoo, MI Living Index
125

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

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Kalamazoo, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,052

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,052 in Kalamazoo, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Kalamazoo, MI $2,052
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,227 in Kalamazoo, MI versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Kalamazoo, MI $3,227
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,402 in Kalamazoo, MI versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Kalamazoo, MI $4,402
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Kalamazoo, MI costs roughly 21% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kalamazoo, MI 51% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.57 $24.57

$20.35 $20.35

20.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 $85.4

$84.7 $84.7

0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$12.12 $12.12

-17.99%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$5.65 $5.65

-12.74%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$3.68 $3.68

-32.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.36 $2.36

-10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$7.87 $7.87

-37.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.38 $6.38

$8.82 $8.82

-27.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.14 $1.14

-35.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.69 $3.69

-15.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.31 $3.31

29.31%

Eggs

$2.67 $2.67

$4.15 $4.15

-35.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 $9.18

$12.98 $12.98

-29.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$13.86 $13.86

-10.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$16.34 $16.34

-19.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$4.69 $4.69

18.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.45 $1.45

-1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$9.46 $9.46

$5.11 $5.11

85.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$4.52 $4.52

7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.08 $3.08

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.38 $2.38

42.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.80 $1.80

5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.22 $2.22

-42.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 $10.11

$9.97 $9.97

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 $14.96

$15.05 $15.05

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.91 $2.91

-32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.33 $3.33

3.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.22 $1.22

26.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$40.53 $40.53

50.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.78 $2.78

82.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.65 $1.65

11.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.6 $50.6

$35.39 $35.39

42.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.95 $0.95

-1.05%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$34.2K $34.2K

-21.51%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-5.71%

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

$117 $117

$223 $223

-47.43%

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

$37.47 $37.47

$58.5 $58.5

-35.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.0 $95.0

$71.2 $71.2

33.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.76 $32.76

$53.0 $53.0

-38.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.22 $16.22

$16.75 $16.75

-3.16%

Cinema Ticket

$10.13 $10.13

$14.06 $14.06

-27.95%

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

$1,659 $1,659

$1,459 $1,459

13.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K $11.2K

$21.3K $21.3K

-47.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$52.5 $52.5

0.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.78 $21.78

$42.75 $42.75

-49.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$86.4 $86.4

26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 $93.6

$104 $104

-9.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 $1,443

$2,112 $2,112

-31.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 $823

$1,230 $1,230

-33.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 $2,062

$3,863 $3,863

-46.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 $1,550

$2,407 $2,407

-35.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,986 $1,986

$7,426 $7,426

-73.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,694 $1,694

$3,060 $3,060

-44.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,576 $3,576

$5,179 $5,179

-30.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.82

-4.25%

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

Last update for Kalamazoo, MI: October 24, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kalamazoo, MI

$823 40.1%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 49.5% $408

Groceries & Markets

Kalamazoo, MI

$378 18.4%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 8.4% $32

Eating Out

Kalamazoo, MI

$342 16.7%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 1.9% $6.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kalamazoo, MI

$250 12.2%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 41.2% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Kalamazoo, MI

$125 6.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 2.8% $3.5

Getting Around

Kalamazoo, MI

$81 4%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 30.7% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Kalamazoo, MI

$53 2.6%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 53.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,443 in Kalamazoo, MI and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 45% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Kalamazoo, MI vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $410 per month, with Kalamazoo, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kalamazoo, MI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:11 11:11 AM

10:11 10:11 AM

1 h behind Kalamazoo, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

72,161

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kalamazoo, MI Austin, TX 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Kalamazoo, MI
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

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

Kalamazoo, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kalamazoo, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Kalamazoo, MI. 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: $1,443 in Kalamazoo, MI versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,659 in Kalamazoo, MI versus $1,459 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 34% less than in Kalamazoo, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

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

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.

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