Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Key West, FL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $4,808 in Key West, FL, rent and utilities included – about $25,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

233

Cost of Living Index in Key West, FL
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Key West, FL Living Index
130

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

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Key West, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$4,808

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,808 in Key West, FL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Key West, FL $4,808
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,043 in Key West, FL versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Key West, FL $7,043
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,278 in Key West, FL versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Key West, FL $9,278
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Key West, FL is roughly 81% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Key West, FL 256% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.31 $22.31

$20.77 $20.77

7.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.3 $98.3

$84.6 $84.6

16.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$12.32 $12.32

-3.65%

Cappuccino

$4.56 $4.56

$5.63 $5.63

-19.01%

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

$2.26 $2.26

$3.72 $3.72

-39.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.50 $2.50

-24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$8.05 $8.05

-27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$9.01 $9.01

-24.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.12 $1.12

-11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.75 $3.75

-1.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$3.26 $3.26

106.75%

Eggs

$5.16 $5.16

$4.17 $4.17

23.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$12.90 $12.90

-10.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$14.16 $14.16

-5.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.97 $23.97

$16.22 $16.22

47.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$4.33 $4.33

11.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.46 $1.46

27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.51 $4.51

-18.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$4.34 $4.34

19.12%

Potato (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.58 $2.58

129.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.35 $2.35

41.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.78 $1.78

102.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.22 $2.22

19.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 $8.18

$9.88 $9.88

-17.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 $14.18

$15.08 $15.08

-5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.92 $2.92

-31.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.46 $3.46

-31.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.49 $1.49

167.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.73 $2.73

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.66 $1.66

87.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.20 $30.20

$35.30 $35.30

-14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.95 $0.95

-4.21%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$36.0K $36.0K

1.21%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-4.54%

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

$215 $215

$229 $229

-6.05%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$59.4 $59.4

-8.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$69.9 $69.9

4.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$57.2 $57.2

39.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$14.28 $14.28

-1.61%

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

$1,090 $1,090

$1,506 $1,506

-27.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K $20.7K

$21.5K $21.5K

-3.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.58 $47.58

$52.8 $52.8

-9.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.78 $41.78

$43.82 $43.82

-4.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 $71.7

$84.8 $84.8

-15.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 $69.1

$103 $103

-32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,436 $3,436

$1,907 $1,907

80.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,432 $3,432

$1,274 $1,274

169.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,122 $7,122

$3,664 $3,664

94.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,144 $6,144

$2,538 $2,538

142.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,644 $9,644

$7,614 $7,614

26.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,886 $9,886

$3,157 $3,157

213.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,967 $5,967

$5,121 $5,121

16.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.79

-6.04%

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

Last update for Key West, FL: October 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Key West, FL

$3.4K 71.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 62.9% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

Key West, FL

$457 9.5%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 11.5% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Key West, FL

$343 7.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 4.5% $15

Eating Out

Key West, FL

$328 6.8%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 7.8% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Key West, FL

$108 2.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 20.3% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Key West, FL

$104 2.2%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 23.5% $24

Getting Around

Key West, FL

$35 * 0.7%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 65.7% $23

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 $3,436 in Key West, FL and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Key West, FL pays 17% 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: $98.0 in Key West, FL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $457 vs $405 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Key West, FL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

23:25 11:25 PM

22:25 10:25 PM

1 h behind Key West, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,684

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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Highest

Between locations

Key West, FL Austin, TX 1,700 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Key West, FL
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

Key West, FL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in Key West, FL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Key West, FL, 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: $3,436 in Key West, FL versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,090 in Key West, FL versus $1,506 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 $85.0 versus $98.0 in Key West, FL. 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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Key West, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.