Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Normal, IL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Normal, IL: $2,269 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

111

Cost of Living Index in Normal, IL
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Normal, IL Living Index
129

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

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Normal, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,269

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,269 in Normal, IL versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Normal, IL $2,269
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,356 in Normal, IL versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Normal, IL $3,356
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,443 in Normal, IL versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Normal, IL $4,443
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Normal, IL costs roughly 16% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Normal, IL 67% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.29 $11.29

$20.63 $20.63

-45.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 $50.5

$84.6 $84.6

-40.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$12.07 $12.07

-18.64%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$5.48 $5.48

-6.20%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$3.80 $3.80

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.47 $2.47

-36.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 $5.27

$8.05 $8.05

-34.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$8.88 $8.88

-31.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.11 $1.11

-27.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.72 $3.72

-29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.37 $3.37

-4.45%

Eggs

$3.84 $3.84

$4.32 $4.32

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 $8.95

$13.13 $13.13

-31.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$14.15 $14.15

-11.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 $18.70

$16.33 $16.33

14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$4.55 $4.55

43.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.46 $1.46

-15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$4.71 $4.71

38.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.15 $4.15

23.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.58 $2.58

31.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.35 $2.35

37.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.77 $1.77

15.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.14 $2.14

7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.32 $11.32

$10.10 $10.10

12.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 $10.96

$15.19 $15.19

-27.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.82 $2.82

-35.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.44 $3.44

-12.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.54 $1.54

66.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.0 $93.0

$40.99 $40.99

126.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.80 $2.80

109.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.60 $1.60

-31.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.21 $18.21

$34.34 $34.34

-46.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.94 $0.94

-3.19%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$34.0K $34.0K

-19.40%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.80%

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

$274 $274

$223 $223

23.06%

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

$97.9 $97.9

$58.9 $58.9

66.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$70.6 $70.6

-8.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 $39.78

$57.7 $57.7

-31.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$14.26 $14.26

-17.25%

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

$1,055 $1,055

$1,511 $1,511

-30.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.33 $30.33

$51.3 $51.3

-40.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 $39.25

$44.17 $44.17

-11.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 $68.4

$87.0 $87.0

-21.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$104 $104

46.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 $994

$1,940 $1,940

-48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 $895

$1,316 $1,316

-32.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 $1,761

$3,664 $3,664

-51.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 $1,624

$2,565 $2,565

-36.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,700 $9,700

$7,354 $7,354

31.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,253 $4,253

$5,286 $5,286

-19.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.79

-3.53%

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

Last update for Normal, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Normal, IL

$895 39.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 47.1% $422

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Normal, IL

$436 19.2%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 19.3% $84

Groceries & Markets

Normal, IL

$390 17.2%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 4.1% $16

Eating Out

Normal, IL

$240 10.6%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 45.9% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Normal, IL

$131 5.8%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 1.4% $1.8

Getting Around

Normal, IL

$115 5.1%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 49.4% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Normal, IL

$63 2.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 36% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Normal, IL and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 24% 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: $50.0 in Normal, IL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $406 per month, with Normal, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Normal, IL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

20:50 8:50 PM

Same time as Normal, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,497

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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Highest

Between locations

Normal, IL Austin, TX 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Normal, IL
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

Normal, IL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Normal, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Normal, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 24% 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: $994 in Normal, IL 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 $2,269 per month in Normal, IL versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Normal, IL runs roughly 127% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,269 in Normal, IL versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Normal, IL but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Normal, IL 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.

Expats usually find Normal, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.