Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Lowell, MA and in Austin, TX: $2,689 and $2,698 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
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Lowell, MA Living Index
129

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

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Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Lowell, MA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Lowell, MA $2,689
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,243 in Lowell, MA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Lowell, MA $4,243
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,797 in Lowell, MA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Lowell, MA $5,797
Austin, TX $5,622

Monthly costs are close between Lowell, MA and Austin, TX; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lowell, MA 98% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$20.63 $20.63

-12.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$84.6 $84.6

-18.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$12.07 $12.07

-23.45%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$5.48 $5.48

-10.58%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$3.80 $3.80

-46.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.47 $2.47

-33.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$8.05 $8.05

-38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$8.88 $8.88

-7.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.11 $1.11

-27.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.72 $3.72

-42.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$3.37 $3.37

56.68%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$4.32 $4.32

-4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$13.13 $13.13

-15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$14.15 $14.15

-36.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 $17.47

$16.33 $16.33

6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.55 $4.55

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.46 $1.46

-16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$4.71 $4.71

44.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$4.15 $4.15

33.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.58 $2.58

-35.27%

Onion (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.35 $2.35

88.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.77 $1.77

70.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.14 $2.14

2.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 $13.78

$10.10 $10.10

36.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 $13.42

$15.19 $15.19

-11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.82 $2.82

-38.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.44 $3.44

21.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.54 $1.54

17.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 $55.2

$40.99 $40.99

34.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.80 $2.80

44.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.60 $1.60

9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$34.34 $34.34

-14.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.94 $0.94

-10.64%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$34.0K $34.0K

-18.51%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.83%

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

$186 $186

$223 $223

-16.50%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$58.9 $58.9

-12.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$70.6 $70.6

-5.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.07 $40.07

$57.7 $57.7

-30.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.45 $12.45

$16.53 $16.53

-24.68%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$14.26 $14.26

-1.47%

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

$1,410 $1,410

$1,511 $1,511

-6.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K $29.5K

$20.9K $20.9K

41.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$51.3 $51.3

12.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$44.17 $44.17

-14.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 $79.2

$87.0 $87.0

-9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 $70.2

$104 $104

-32.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$1,940 $1,940

-16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$1,316 $1,316

11.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,728 $3,728

$3,664 $3,664

1.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,116 $3,116

$2,565 $2,565

21.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,460 $3,460

$7,354 $7,354

-52.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,536 $3,536

$3,129 $3,129

13.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 $3,963

$5,286 $5,286

-25.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.79

-10.16%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: 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

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 10.7% $157

Groceries & Markets

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 9.8% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 15.7% $48

Eating Out

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 21.9% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 17.1% $19

Getting Around

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 22.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 26.5% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,620 in Lowell, MA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 33% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $69.0 in Lowell, MA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $406 per month, with Lowell, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

01:22 1:22 AM

00:22 12:22 AM

1 h behind Lowell, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,519

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

Lowell, MA Austin, TX 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Lowell, MA
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

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

On paper, salaries run 33% 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: $1,620 in Lowell, MA versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,410 in Lowell, MA 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 Lowell, MA – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Lowell, MA 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, Lowell, MA 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.

It comes down to priorities – Lowell, MA wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.