Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Knoxville, TN and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Knoxville, TN and in Austin, TX: $2,576 and $2,698 a month, rent and utilities included.

124

Cost of Living Index in Knoxville, TN
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Knoxville, TN Living Index
129

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

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Knoxville, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,576

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,576 in Knoxville, TN versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Knoxville, TN $2,576
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,786 in Knoxville, TN versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Knoxville, TN $3,786
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,997 in Knoxville, TN versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Knoxville, TN $4,997
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Knoxville, TN costs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Knoxville, TN 90% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$20.63 $20.63

-14.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 $74.6

$84.6 $84.6

-11.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$12.07 $12.07

-18.31%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$5.48 $5.48

-1.82%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$3.80 $3.80

-25.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.47 $2.47

11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 $6.36

$8.05 $8.05

-20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 $6.60

$8.88 $8.88

-25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.11 $1.11

-4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.72 $3.72

-6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.37 $3.37

35.31%

Eggs

$4.46 $4.46

$4.32 $4.32

3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$13.13 $13.13

-23.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 $9.22

$14.15 $14.15

-34.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$16.33 $16.33

-8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$4.55 $4.55

54.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.46 $1.46

6.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$4.71 $4.71

-39.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.15 $4.15

34.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.58 $2.58

-16.28%

Onion (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.35 $2.35

85.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.77 $1.77

25.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.14 $2.14

2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 $8.99

$10.10 $10.10

-10.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$15.19 $15.19

0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.82 $2.82

-32.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.44 $3.44

-8.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.54 $1.54

-33.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.58 $29.58

$40.99 $40.99

-27.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.80 $2.80

82.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.60 $1.60

-5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.87 $29.87

$34.34 $34.34

-13.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.94 $0.94

7.45%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$34.0K $34.0K

-18.00%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

1.94%

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

$223 $223

0.29%

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

$74.4 $74.4

$58.9 $58.9

26.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 $53.1

$70.6 $70.6

-24.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.37 $29.37

$57.7 $57.7

-49.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.90 $21.90

$16.53 $16.53

32.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$14.26 $14.26

6.59%

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

$1,246 $1,246

$1,511 $1,511

-17.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$20.9K $20.9K

17.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$51.3 $51.3

-0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.53 $45.53

$44.17 $44.17

3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$87.0 $87.0

28.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$104 $104

17.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 $1,811

$1,940 $1,940

-6.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$1,316 $1,316

-2.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,901 $2,901

$3,664 $3,664

-20.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,144 $2,144

$2,565 $2,565

-16.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,681 $4,681

$7,354 $7,354

-36.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 $2,243

$3,129 $3,129

-28.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,622 $3,622

$5,286 $5,286

-31.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.79

-2.21%

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

Last update for Knoxville, TN: 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

Knoxville, TN

$1.3K 49.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 2.5% $32

Groceries & Markets

Knoxville, TN

$383 14.9%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 6% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Knoxville, TN

$351 13.6%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 0.4% $1.3

Eating Out

Knoxville, TN

$303 11.8%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 15.5% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Knoxville, TN

$149 5.8%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 13.4% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Knoxville, TN

$60 2.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 44.3% $26

Getting Around

Knoxville, TN

$46 1.8%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 25.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,811 in Knoxville, TN and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 46% 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: $75.0 in Knoxville, TN vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $406 per month, with Knoxville, TN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Knoxville, TN

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:37 3:37 AM

02:37 2:37 AM

1 h behind Knoxville, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

190,740

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

Knoxville, TN Austin, TX 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Knoxville, TN
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

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

Knoxville, TN wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Knoxville, TN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 46% 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: $1,811 in Knoxville, TN 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 $2,576 per month in Knoxville, TN versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Knoxville, TN runs roughly 39% 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. Knoxville, TN is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Knoxville, TN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,576 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Knoxville, TN hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Knoxville, TN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.