Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, NJ and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,069 in Newark, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

149

Cost of Living Index in Newark, NJ
Learn more

Newark, NJ Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,069

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,069 in Newark, NJ versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Newark, NJ $3,069
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,584 in Newark, NJ versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Newark, NJ $4,584
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,098 in Newark, NJ versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Newark, NJ $6,098
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Newark, NJ is roughly 14% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newark, NJ 127% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$20.63 $20.63

-2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$84.6 $84.6

16.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.21 $14.21

$12.07 $12.07

17.73%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$5.48 $5.48

16.06%

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

$3.73 $3.73

$3.80 $3.80

-1.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.05 $8.05

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.88 $8.88

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.11 $1.11

23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.72 $3.72

21.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$3.37 $3.37

123.44%

Eggs

$5.90 $5.90

$4.32 $4.32

36.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$13.13 $13.13

-45.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$14.15 $14.15

22.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$16.33 $16.33

16.96%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.55 $4.55

48.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.46 $1.46

57.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.71 $4.71

35.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$4.15 $4.15

60.72%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.58 $2.58

55.81%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.35 $2.35

85.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.77 $1.77

55.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.14 $2.14

22.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$10.10 $10.10

17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.62 $19.62

$15.19 $15.19

29.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.82 $2.82

-32.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.44 $3.44

-20.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.13 $6.13

$1.54 $1.54

298.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 $54.7

$40.99 $40.99

33.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.80 $2.80

8.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.60 $1.60

35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.49 $42.49

$34.34 $34.34

23.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.94 $0.94

10.64%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$34.0K $34.0K

-19.59%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.08%

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

$213 $213

$223 $223

-4.50%

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

$75.4 $75.4

$58.9 $58.9

28.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

-0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 $29.52

$57.7 $57.7

-48.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 $17.80

$16.53 $16.53

7.68%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$14.26 $14.26

3.23%

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

$2,129 $2,129

$1,511 $1,511

40.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.3K $61.3K

$20.9K $20.9K

193.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$51.3 $51.3

17.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 $27.55

$44.17 $44.17

-37.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$87.0 $87.0

39.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$104 $104

32.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 $2,577

$1,940 $1,940

32.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$1,316 $1,316

16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,332 $4,332

$3,664 $3,664

18.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$2,565 $2,565

1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 $5,702

$7,354 $7,354

-22.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,577 $5,577

$3,129 $3,129

78.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,568 $3,568

$5,286 $5,286

-32.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.79

-1.62%

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Newark, NJ

$1.5K 50%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 14.3% $219

Groceries & Markets

Newark, NJ

$502 16.4%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 19.1% $96

Eating Out

Newark, NJ

$365 11.9%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 4.1% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, NJ

$359 11.7%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 1.8% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, NJ

$156 5.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 17.3% $27

Getting Around

Newark, NJ

$93 3%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 37.8% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, NJ

$59 1.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 46.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,577 in Newark, NJ and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Newark, NJ vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $502 vs $406 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

18:55 6:55 PM

17:55 5:55 PM

1 h behind Newark, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

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

Newark, NJ Austin, TX 2,420 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Newark, NJ
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

Newark, NJ vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Newark, NJ. 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 48% 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: $2,577 in Newark, NJ versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,069 per month in Newark, NJ versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 33% less than in Newark, NJ. 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 14% less than in Newark, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.