Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lorain, OH and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Lorain, OH: $1,835 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Lorain, OH
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Lorain, OH Living Index
129

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

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Lorain, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,835

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Lorain, OH versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Lorain, OH $1,835
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,880 in Lorain, OH versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Lorain, OH $2,880
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,925 in Lorain, OH versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Lorain, OH $3,925
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Lorain, OH costs roughly 32% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lorain, OH 35% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 $18.14

$20.63 $20.63

-12.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 $63.4

$84.6 $84.6

-24.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 $10.30

$12.07 $12.07

-14.66%

Cappuccino

$3.80 $3.80

$5.48 $5.48

-30.66%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$3.80 $3.80

-35.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.47 $2.47

-35.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$8.05 $8.05

-39.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 $5.14

$8.88 $8.88

-42.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.11 $1.11

-37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.72 $3.72

-27.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$3.37 $3.37

65.88%

Eggs

$2.39 $2.39

$4.32 $4.32

-44.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 $7.14

$13.13 $13.13

-45.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 $9.97

$14.15 $14.15

-29.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 $10.47

$16.33 $16.33

-35.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$4.55 $4.55

8.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.46 $1.46

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.71 $4.71

-5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$4.15 $4.15

17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.58 $2.58

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.35 $2.35

27.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.77 $1.77

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.14 $2.14

12.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.40 $10.40

$10.10 $10.10

2.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$15.19 $15.19

3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.82 $2.82

-10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.44 $3.44

-13.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.80 $2.80

5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.60 $1.60

-0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$34.34 $34.34

-29.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.94 $0.94

15.96%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$34.0K $34.0K

-1.02%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.46%

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

$214 $214

$223 $223

-3.92%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$58.9 $58.9

2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$70.6 $70.6

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.71 $24.71

$57.7 $57.7

-57.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

$14.26 $14.26

-16.97%

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

$1,356 $1,356

$1,511 $1,511

-10.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$20.9K $20.9K

53.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.36 $39.36

$51.3 $51.3

-23.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 $42.23

$44.17 $44.17

-4.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 $76.0

$87.0 $87.0

-12.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$104 $104

-3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 $762

$1,940 $1,940

-60.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 $699

$1,316 $1,316

-46.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 $1,403

$3,664 $3,664

-61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 $1,505

$2,565 $2,565

-41.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,053 $3,053

$5,286 $5,286

-42.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.79

-4.42%

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

Last update for Lorain, OH: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lorain, OH

$699 38.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 88.3% $617

Groceries & Markets

Lorain, OH

$345 18.8%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 17.6% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lorain, OH

$343 18.7%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 2.6% $9

Eating Out

Lorain, OH

$272 14.8%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 28.5% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Lorain, OH

$116 6.3%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 11.1% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Lorain, OH

$48 2.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 78.1% $38

Getting Around

Lorain, OH

$11 * 0.6%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 430% $47

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 $762 in Lorain, OH and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 73% 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: $63.0 in Lorain, OH vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $406 per month, with Lorain, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lorain, OH

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:48 3:48 AM

02:48 2:48 AM

1 h behind Lorain, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

65,430

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lorain, OH Austin, TX 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lorain, OH
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

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

Lorain, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lorain, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 73% 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: $762 in Lorain, OH versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,356 in Lorain, OH versus $1,511 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 Lorain, OH – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,835 in Lorain, OH versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Lorain, OH but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Lorain, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Lorain, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.