Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,624 in Long Island, NY versus $2,715 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,315 in Long Island, NY versus $4,156 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,005 in Long Island, NY versus $5,596 in Austin, TX.

Living in Long Island, NY is roughly 34% more expensive than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Long Island, NY 165% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$19.66 $19.66

26.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$84.6 $84.6

19.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 $10.96

$12.30 $12.30

-10.89%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$5.45 $5.45

-8.26%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$3.62 $3.62

-38.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.41 $2.41

-34.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.91 $7.91

0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$8.89 $8.89

-11.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.07 $1.07

24.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.68 $3.68

19.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.34 $3.34

-40.72%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$4.29 $4.29

19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$13.00 $13.00

-4.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$14.24 $14.24

-17.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$16.68 $16.68

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.49 $4.49

-4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.42 $1.42

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$4.59 $4.59

-53.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$4.67 $4.67

7.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.71 $2.71

-58.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.58 $2.58

-16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.89 $1.89

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.19 $2.19

-28.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 $11.30

$10.04 $10.04

12.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.08 $15.08

-2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.92 $2.92

-41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.29 $3.29

25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.53 $1.53

84.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$41.52 $41.52

213.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.70 $2.70

9.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.65 $1.65

23.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.88 $23.88

$35.05 $35.05

-31.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.89 $0.89

19.10%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

-0.10%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.1K $27.1K

-6.65%

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

$217 $217

$223 $223

-2.81%

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

$46.87 $46.87

$57.4 $57.4

-18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 $53.5

$68.3 $68.3

-21.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.24 $31.24

$65.6 $65.6

-52.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$103 $103

$14.61 $14.61

607.12%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$13.95 $13.95

5.45%

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

$2,286 $2,286

$1,523 $1,523

50.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$21.4K $21.4K

9.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.09 $40.09

$53.1 $53.1

-24.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 $57.7

$42.81 $42.81

34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$85.3 $85.3

-9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 $154

$103 $103

49.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$1,948 $1,948

35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 $2,271

$1,267 $1,267

79.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,705 $4,705

$3,765 $3,765

24.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$2,553 $2,553

39.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 $4,332

$7,179 $7,179

-39.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,315 $4,315

$3,140 $3,140

37.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,938 $4,938

$4,955 $4,955

-0.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

6.47

-4.64%

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

Last update for Long Island, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,632 in Long Island, NY and $1,948 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Long Island, NY vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $409, with Long Island, NY cheaper for home cooking.

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

Long Island, NY vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Long Island, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 0% 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: $2,632 in Long Island, NY versus $1,948 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,624 per month in Long Island, NY versus $2,715 in Austin, TX – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 213% less than in Long Island, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,715 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Long Island, NY 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Long Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.