Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Miami, FL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,815 in Miami, FL, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

Cost of Living Index in Miami, FL
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Miami, FL Living Index
130

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

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Miami, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,815

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,815 in Miami, FL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Miami, FL $3,815
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,814 in Miami, FL versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Miami, FL $5,814
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,812 in Miami, FL versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Miami, FL $7,812
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Miami, FL is roughly 43% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Miami, FL 183% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.26 $30.26

$20.77 $20.77

45.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$84.6 $84.6

42.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.97 $14.97

$12.32 $12.32

21.51%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$5.63 $5.63

1.95%

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

$3.48 $3.48

$3.72 $3.72

-6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.50 $2.50

24.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$8.05 $8.05

-1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$9.01 $9.01

10.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.12 $1.12

25.89%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.75 $3.75

22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.26 $3.26

81.60%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$4.17 $4.17

18.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.66 $18.66

$12.90 $12.90

44.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$14.16 $14.16

17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.97 $23.97

$16.22 $16.22

47.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.33 $4.33

18.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.46 $1.46

51.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.51 $4.51

-4.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.34 $4.34

1.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.58 $2.58

29.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.35 $2.35

41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.78 $1.78

67.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.13 $9.13

$9.88 $9.88

-7.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$15.08 $15.08

-1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.92 $2.92

-14.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.46 $3.46

-9.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.49 $1.49

48.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 $112

$41.72 $41.72

169.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.73 $2.73

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.66 $1.66

21.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.23 $24.23

$35.30 $35.30

-31.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.95 $0.95

11.58%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

0.99%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-5.02%

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

$179 $179

$229 $229

-21.97%

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

$63.8 $63.8

$59.4 $59.4

7.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$69.9 $69.9

5.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 $76.7

$57.2 $57.2

34.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.47 $22.47

$16.33 $16.33

37.60%

Cinema Ticket

$20.24 $20.24

$14.28 $14.28

41.74%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,506 $1,506

20.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.5K $40.5K

$21.5K $21.5K

88.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$52.8 $52.8

-3.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 $56.4

$43.82 $43.82

28.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$84.8 $84.8

19.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$103 $103

26.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 $2,781

$1,907 $1,907

45.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 $2,157

$1,274 $1,274

69.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,746 $5,746

$3,664 $3,664

56.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,915 $3,915

$2,538 $2,538

54.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

$7,614 $7,614

-7.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,699 $3,699

$3,157 $3,157

17.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,103 $4,103

$5,121 $5,121

-19.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.79

-2.36%

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

Last update for Miami, FL: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Miami, FL

$2.2K 56.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 40.9% $883

Groceries & Markets

Miami, FL

$496 13%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 18.5% $92

Eating Out

Miami, FL

$442 11.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 19.9% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Miami, FL

$316 8.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 13.3% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Miami, FL

$153 4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 16.2% $25

Getting Around

Miami, FL

$134 3.5%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 56.2% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Miami, FL

$117 3.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 26.8% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,781 in Miami, FL and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $121 in Miami, FL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $496 vs $405 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Miami, FL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

12:29 12:29 PM

1 h behind Miami, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

404,048

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

Miami, FL Austin, TX 1,790 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Miami, FL
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

Miami, FL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Miami, FL. 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 25% 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: $2,781 in Miami, FL versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,815 per month in Miami, FL versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 169% less than in Miami, FL. 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 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Miami, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.