Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Midland, MI and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Midland, MI: $1,895 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

Cost of Living Index in Midland, MI
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Midland, MI Living Index
130

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

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Midland, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,895

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,895 in Midland, MI versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Midland, MI $1,895
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,720 in Midland, MI versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Midland, MI $2,720
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,546 in Midland, MI versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Midland, MI $3,546
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Midland, MI costs roughly 29% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Midland, MI 40% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.36 $20.36

$20.77 $20.77

-1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.67 $49.67

$84.6 $84.6

-41.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$12.32 $12.32

-19.48%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$5.63 $5.63

-10.48%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$3.72 $3.72

-42.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.50 $2.50

-38.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 $3.67

$8.05 $8.05

-54.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$9.01 $9.01

-44.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.12 $1.12

-19.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.75 $3.75

-28.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.26 $3.26

-32.21%

Eggs

$3.21 $3.21

$4.17 $4.17

-23.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 $11.27

$12.90 $12.90

-12.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$14.16 $14.16

-46.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 $11.01

$16.22 $16.22

-32.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$4.33 $4.33

-24.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.46 $1.46

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.51 $4.51

-3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$4.34 $4.34

-11.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.58 $2.58

3.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.35 $2.35

-15.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.78 $1.78

10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.22 $2.22

-56.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 $10.19

$9.88 $9.88

3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 $13.35

$15.08 $15.08

-11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.92 $2.92

-31.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.46 $3.46

-8.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.49 $1.49

32.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 $122

$41.72 $41.72

191.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.73 $2.73

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.66 $1.66

49.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.94 $39.94

$35.30 $35.30

13.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.95 $0.95

2.11%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

-1.23%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-4.94%

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

$181 $181

$229 $229

-20.96%

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

$39.35 $39.35

$59.4 $59.4

-33.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.67 $49.67

$69.9 $69.9

-28.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.23 $42.23

$57.2 $57.2

-26.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.33 $32.33

$16.33 $16.33

97.98%

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 $12.07

$14.28 $14.28

-15.48%

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

$1,725 $1,725

$1,506 $1,506

14.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K $14.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

-33.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.34 $45.34

$52.8 $52.8

-14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.78 $39.78

$43.82 $43.82

-9.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 $71.6

$84.8 $84.8

-15.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 $80.1

$103 $103

-22.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 $690

$1,907 $1,907

-63.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 $713

$1,274 $1,274

-44.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$3,664 $3,664

-51.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 $1,003

$2,538 $2,538

-60.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,827 $1,827

$7,614 $7,614

-76.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,823 $1,823

$3,157 $3,157

-42.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,656 $6,656

$5,121 $5,121

29.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.79

-4.12%

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

Last update for Midland, MI: 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

Midland, MI

$713 37.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 78.8% $561

Groceries & Markets

Midland, MI

$299 15.8%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 35.4% $106

Eating Out

Midland, MI

$296 15.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 19.5% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Midland, MI

$270 14.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 32.7% $88

Getting Around

Midland, MI

$144 7.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 59.4% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Midland, MI

$107 5.6%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 20.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Midland, MI

$66 3.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 29.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $690 in Midland, MI and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Midland, MI pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Midland, MI vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $405 per month, with Midland, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Midland, MI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

04:03 4:03 AM

03:03 3:03 AM

1 h behind Midland, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

132,524

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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Between locations

Midland, MI Austin, TX 1,900 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Midland, MI
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

Midland, MI vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Midland, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Midland, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Midland, MI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $690 in Midland, MI 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 $1,895 per month in Midland, MI versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Midland, MI runs roughly 192% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,895 in Midland, MI versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Midland, MI but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Midland, MI 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.

Safety-wise, Midland, MI 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 Midland, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.