Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Katy, TX and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Katy, TX: $2,431 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Katy, TX
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Katy, TX Living Index
129

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

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Katy, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,431

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,431 in Katy, TX versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Katy, TX $2,431
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,672 in Katy, TX versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Katy, TX $3,672
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,913 in Katy, TX versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Katy, TX $4,913
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Katy, TX costs roughly 10% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Katy, TX 79% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.86 $16.86

$20.63 $20.63

-18.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 $60.5

$84.6 $84.6

-28.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 $8.79

$12.07 $12.07

-27.17%

Cappuccino

$3.58 $3.58

$5.48 $5.48

-34.67%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$3.80 $3.80

-46.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.47 $2.47

-16.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 $3.94

$8.05 $8.05

-51.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 $5.46

$8.88 $8.88

-38.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.11 $1.11

-18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.72 $3.72

-1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.37 $3.37

-11.57%

Eggs

$3.08 $3.08

$4.32 $4.32

-28.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 $12.77

$13.13 $13.13

-2.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$14.15 $14.15

-34.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 $16.07

$16.33 $16.33

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.55 $4.55

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.46 $1.46

-15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.71 $4.71

-36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.15 $4.15

-24.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.58 $2.58

-18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.14 $2.14

-42.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.77 $9.77

$10.10 $10.10

-3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 $12.36

$15.19 $15.19

-18.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.82 $2.82

-37.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$3.44 $3.44

-52.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.54 $1.54

198.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 $91.0

$40.99 $40.99

121.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.60 $1.60

-1.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.39 $34.39

$34.34 $34.34

0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.94 $0.94

-12.77%

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

$32.5K $32.5K

$34.0K $34.0K

-4.34%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-8.27%

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

$226 $226

$223 $223

1.64%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$58.9 $58.9

-2.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$70.6 $70.6

0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 $30.38

$57.7 $57.7

-47.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 $25.12

$16.53 $16.53

51.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 $11.93

$14.26 $14.26

-16.34%

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

$1,004 $1,004

$1,511 $1,511

-33.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K $19.3K

$20.9K $20.9K

-7.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$51.3 $51.3

2.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 $43.11

$44.17 $44.17

-2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$87.0 $87.0

-0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

-0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$1,940 $1,940

-17.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 $1,196

$1,316 $1,316

-9.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,601 $2,601

$3,664 $3,664

-29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,268 $2,268

$2,565 $2,565

-11.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,028 $2,028

$7,354 $7,354

-72.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,693 $1,693

$3,129 $3,129

-45.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,760 $5,760

$5,286 $5,286

8.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

6.79

-5.60%

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

Last update for Katy, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Katy, TX

$1.2K 49.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 10.1% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Katy, TX

$354 14.6%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 0.6% $2.3

Groceries & Markets

Katy, TX

$326 13.4%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 24.4% $80

Eating Out

Katy, TX

$251 10.3%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 39.3% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Katy, TX

$129 5.3%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 0.2% $0.3

Getting Around

Katy, TX

$120 4.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 51.7% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Katy, TX

$54 2.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 58.9% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,594 in Katy, TX and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Katy, TX pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Katy, TX vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $406 per month, with Katy, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Katy, TX

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

06:43 6:43 AM

Same time as Katy, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,102

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Katy, TX Austin, TX 190 km

From you

Katy, TX
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

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

Katy, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Katy, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Katy, TX, 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: $1,594 in Katy, TX versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,431 per month in Katy, TX versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Katy, TX runs roughly 122% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Katy, 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, Katy, TX 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 Katy, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.