Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Meridian, MS and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Meridian, MS and in Austin, TX: $2,675 and $2,689 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Meridian, MS
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Meridian, MS Living Index
128

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

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Meridian, MS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,675

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,675 in Meridian, MS versus $2,689 in Austin, TX.

Meridian, MS $2,675
Austin, TX $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,974 in Meridian, MS versus $4,112 in Austin, TX.

Meridian, MS $3,974
Austin, TX $4,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,273 in Meridian, MS versus $5,534 in Austin, TX.

Meridian, MS $5,273
Austin, TX $5,534

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.23 $26.23

$21.34 $21.34

22.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 $105

$87.9 $87.9

19.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 $10.38

$12.44 $12.44

-16.56%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$5.60 $5.60

-27.14%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$3.65 $3.65

-36.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.39 $2.39

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$7.82 $7.82

-25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$8.75 $8.75

-7.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.12 $1.12

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 $4.17

$3.62 $3.62

15.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.50 $3.50

-42.29%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$4.45 $4.45

-12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.29 $15.29

$13.18 $13.18

16.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$13.94 $13.94

-37.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 $15.37

$16.46 $16.46

-6.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$4.73 $4.73

-37.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.50 $1.50

-28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.64 $4.64

-39.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$4.52 $4.52

-3.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.55 $2.55

-22.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.39 $2.39

31.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.84 $1.84

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.13 $2.13

24.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.95 $8.95

$10.05 $10.05

-10.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.60 $16.60

$14.88 $14.88

11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.82 $2.82

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.29 $3.29

18.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.23 $1.23

70.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 $53.5

$41.43 $41.43

29.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.68 $2.68

33.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.63 $1.63

-11.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.67 $34.67

$35.20 $35.20

-1.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.98 $0.98

-6.12%

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

$33.4K $33.4K

$34.4K $34.4K

-2.72%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.03%

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

$264 $264

$252 $252

4.57%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$59.8 $59.8

19.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$69.7 $69.7

6.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.32 $42.32

$60.4 $60.4

-29.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$12.52 $12.52

$13.75 $13.75

-8.95%

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

$596 $596

$1,458 $1,458

-59.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-9.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$52.6 $52.6

7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 $42.70

$45.76 $45.76

-6.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$85.5 $85.5

2.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$106 $106

12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 $1,554

$2,195 $2,195

-29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 $1,264

$1,269 $1,269

-0.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$4,000 $4,000

-35.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$2,406 $2,406

-12.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,858 $2,858

$7,381 $7,381

-61.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,681 $2,681

$2,964 $2,964

-9.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,203 $4,203

$5,043 $5,043

-16.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

6.82

-1.32%

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

Last update for Meridian, MS: November 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Meridian, MS

$1.3K 47.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2% 0.4% $4.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Meridian, MS

$409 15.3%

Austin, TX

$382 14.2% 6.8% $28

Groceries & Markets

Meridian, MS

$370 13.9%

Austin, TX

$407 15.2% 10% $37

Eating Out

Meridian, MS

$353 13.2%

Austin, TX

$356 13.2% 0.9% $3.1

Clothing & Footwear

Meridian, MS

$138 5.2%

Austin, TX

$130 4.9% 5.4% $7.4

Getting Around

Meridian, MS

$73 2.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.1% 21.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Meridian, MS

$67 2.5%

Austin, TX

$88 3.3% 30.5% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,554 in Meridian, MS and $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 20% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $105 in Meridian, MS vs $88 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $370 vs $407, with Meridian, MS cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Meridian, MS

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

21:11 9:11 PM

Same time as Meridian, MS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,200

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Meridian, MS Austin, TX 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Meridian, MS
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

Meridian, MS vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Meridian, MS. 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: $1,554 in Meridian, MS versus $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $596 in Meridian, MS versus $1,458 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 $88 versus $105 in Meridian, MS. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Meridian, MS 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.

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