Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,878 in New York, NY versus $2,695 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,262 in New York, NY versus $4,184 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,645 in New York, NY versus $5,674 in Austin, TX.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 81% more expensive than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 255% above, Austin, TX 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$19.82 $19.82

27.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 $150

$83.9 $83.9

79.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 $13.98

$12.30 $12.30

13.66%

Cappuccino

$6.39 $6.39

$5.48 $5.48

16.61%

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

$4.01 $4.01

$3.72 $3.72

7.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.36 $2.36

23.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$7.76 $7.76

3.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$9.14 $9.14

8.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.13 $1.13

17.70%

White Bread (500g)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.75 $3.75

28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$3.43 $3.43

98.54%

Eggs

$5.67 $5.67

$4.35 $4.35

30.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$13.14 $13.14

26.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$14.39 $14.39

2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$17.20 $17.20

9.88%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$4.49 $4.49

34.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.44 $1.44

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.67 $4.67

21.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.97 $4.97

22.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.00 $3.00

16.33%

Onion (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.69 $2.69

53.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.85 $1.85

44.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.18 $2.18

17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.04 $19.04

$9.45 $9.45

101.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 $19.73

$15.11 $15.11

30.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.89 $2.89

14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.49 $3.49

13.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.64 $1.64

82.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$40.44 $40.44

246.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.81 $2.81

4.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.58 $1.58

34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$35.18 $35.18

17.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.90 $0.90

23.33%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$35.9K $35.9K

-1.91%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.7K $27.7K

-9.00%

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

$218 $218

$222 $222

-1.77%

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

$76.5 $76.5

$58.3 $58.3

31.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$69.1 $69.1

9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 $128

$66.2 $66.2

93.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.2 $63.2

$14.76 $14.76

328.25%

Cinema Ticket

$23.94 $23.94

$13.78 $13.78

73.73%

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

$3,313 $3,313

$1,526 $1,526

117.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.8K $60.8K

$21.2K $21.2K

187.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 $74.0

$54.6 $54.6

35.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$44.01 $44.01

27.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$89.7 $89.7

29.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$109 $109

19.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,391 $4,391

$1,942 $1,942

126.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$1,258 $1,258

145.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,291 $9,291

$3,762 $3,762

146.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,460 $5,460

$2,592 $2,592

110.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$7,403 $7,403

160.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,723 $6,723

$3,203 $3,203

109.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,364 $5,364

$5,085 $5,085

5.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.44

-0.16%

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

Last update for New York, NY: August 29, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,391 in New York, NY and $1,942 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $150 in New York, NY vs $84.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $512 vs $417 per month, with Austin, TX 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

New York, NY vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5% higher in New York, NY, 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: $4,391 in New York, NY versus $1,942 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,878 per month in New York, NY versus $2,695 in Austin, TX – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 247% less than in New York, NY. 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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,695 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.