Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Vernon, WA and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Vernon, WA and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,825 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $2,719 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,993 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $4,117 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,160 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $5,515 in Austin, TX.

Living in Mount Vernon, WA is roughly 4% more expensive than Austin, TX, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mount Vernon, WA 111% above, Austin, TX 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.47 $16.47

$19.99 $19.99

-17.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 $60.4

$76.2 $76.2

-20.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.68 $12.68

$10.13 $10.13

25.17%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$5.49 $5.49

0.55%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$2.72 $2.72

-21.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.14 $2.14

-20.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 $7.57

$6.07 $6.07

24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.81 $11.81

$8.04 $8.04

46.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.09 $1.09

6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.34 $3.34

24.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.14 $8.14

$3.42 $3.42

138.01%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$4.32 $4.32

14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$11.80 $11.80

-7.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$10.68 $10.68

-38.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$14.50 $14.50

-40.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$4.79 $4.79

7.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.50 $1.50

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.51 $4.51

-3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$4.04 $4.04

23.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.76 $2.76

18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.79 $2.79

-30.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.04 $2.04

-4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.15 $2.15

-8.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 $6.10

$9.23 $9.23

-33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.81 $14.81

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.29 $2.29

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.53 $3.53

-28.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.52 $1.52

30.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.05 $30.05

$43.64 $43.64

-31.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.29 $4.29

-38.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.82 $1.82

-10.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.80 $29.80

$35.52 $35.52

-16.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.77 $0.77

44.16%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

-2.30%

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

$21.0K $21.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

-20.07%

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

$230 $230

$172 $172

33.52%

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

$45.53 $45.53

$60.3 $60.3

-24.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 $77.0

$67.2 $67.2

14.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.27 $43.27

$62.8 $62.8

-31.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.97 $14.97

$14.73 $14.73

1.63%

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

$2,109 $2,109

$1,398 $1,398

50.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K $32.1K

$21.8K $21.8K

47.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.38 $43.38

$55.1 $55.1

-21.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.91 $43.91

$45.66 $45.66

-3.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.8 $56.8

$86.8 $86.8

-34.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 $80.3

$115 $115

-30.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 $1,646

$2,245 $2,245

-26.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 $1,601

$1,401 $1,401

14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,705 $2,705

$3,782 $3,782

-28.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,463 $2,463

$2,708 $2,708

-9.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 $3,955

$7,304 $7,304

-45.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,066 $4,066

$3,331 $3,331

22.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,766 $3,766

$4,910 $4,910

-23.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.45

-1.09%

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

Last update for Mount Vernon, WA: April 20, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,646 in Mount Vernon, WA and $2,245 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX 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: $60 in Mount Vernon, WA vs $76 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $375 per month, with Mount Vernon, WA cheaper across the board.

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

Mount Vernon, WA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Vernon, WA and Austin, TX differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,825 vs $2,719 including rent). Austin, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Austin, TX earns 30% less. 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: $1,646 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $2,245 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,825 per month in Mount Vernon, WA versus $2,719 in Austin, TX – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 45% less than in Mount Vernon, WA. 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 4% less than in Mount Vernon, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.