Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oak Park, IL and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Oak Park, IL and in Austin, TX: $2,585 and $2,698 a month, rent and utilities included.

Oak Park, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,585
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,585 in Oak Park, IL versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

  • Oak Park, IL $2,585
  • Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,781 in Oak Park, IL versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

  • Oak Park, IL $3,781
  • Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,977 in Oak Park, IL versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

  • Oak Park, IL $4,977
  • Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Oak Park, IL costs roughly 4% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oak Park, IL 91% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.82 $19.82
$20.63 $20.63
-3.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.3 $75.3
$84.6 $84.6
-10.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.41 $11.41
$12.07 $12.07
-5.47%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$5.48 $5.48
-0.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 $2.72
$3.80 $3.80
-28.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.47 $2.47
-20.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.04 $6.04
$8.05 $8.05
-24.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.18 $7.18
$8.88 $8.88
-19.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.11 $1.11
-8.11%
White Bread (500g)
$3.54 $3.54
$3.72 $3.72
-4.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$3.37 $3.37
25.22%
Eggs
$4.12 $4.12
$4.32 $4.32
-4.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.11 $14.11
$13.13 $13.13
7.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.34 $11.34
$14.15 $14.15
-19.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.89 $16.89
$16.33 $16.33
3.43%
Apples (1kg)
$4.97 $4.97
$4.55 $4.55
9.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 $1.57
$1.46 $1.46
7.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.41 $4.41
$4.71 $4.71
-6.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.47 $4.47
$4.15 $4.15
7.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 $2.72
$2.58 $2.58
5.43%
Onion (1kg)
$2.75 $2.75
$2.35 $2.35
17.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.92 $1.92
$1.77 $1.77
8.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$2.14 $2.14
18.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.26 $9.26
$10.10 $10.10
-8.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.83 $14.83
$15.19 $15.19
-2.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 $2.23
$2.82 $2.82
-20.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$3.44 $3.44
0.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.54 $1.54
11.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.99 $40.99
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 $2.68
$2.80 $2.80
-4.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.60 $1.60
23.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.26 $33.26
$34.34 $34.34
-3.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$0.94 $0.94
10.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$34.0K $34.0K
-23.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.1K $24.1K
$26.8K $26.8K
-9.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$198 $198
$223 $223
-11.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.2 $59.2
$58.9 $58.9
0.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.7 $70.7
$70.6 $70.6
0.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.92 $37.92
$57.7 $57.7
-34.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.53 $16.53
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.41 $12.41
$14.26 $14.26
-12.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,458 $1,458
$1,511 $1,511
-3.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.2K $23.2K
$20.9K $20.9K
10.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.1 $53.1
$51.3 $51.3
3.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.71 $43.71
$44.17 $44.17
-1.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.5 $87.5
$87.0 $87.0
0.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 $124
$104 $104
18.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,575 $1,575
$1,940 $1,940
-18.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,312 $1,312
$1,316 $1,316
-0.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,550 $2,550
$3,664 $3,664
-30.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,168 $2,168
$2,565 $2,565
-15.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,118 $3,118
$7,354 $7,354
-57.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,251 $2,251
$3,129 $3,129
-28.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oak Park, IL
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,703 $5,703
$5,286 $5,286
7.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
6.79
-3.24%

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

Last update for Oak Park, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oak Park, IL
$1.3K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 0.3% $4.4
Groceries & Markets
Oak Park, IL
$403
Austin, TX
$406 0.8% $3.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oak Park, IL
$328
Austin, TX
$352 7.5% $25
Eating Out
Oak Park, IL
$322
Austin, TX
$350 8.8% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Oak Park, IL
$139
Austin, TX
$129 6.9% $9.6
Sport & Entertainment
Oak Park, IL
$63
Austin, TX
$86 37.4% $23
Getting Around
Oak Park, IL
$19 *
Austin, TX
$58 198% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Oak Park, IL and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oak Park, IL pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Oak Park, IL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $406 per month, with Oak Park, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Oak Park, IL
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
22:56 10:56 PM
22:56 10:56 PM
Same time as Oak Park, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
54,583
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oak Park, IL Austin, TX 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Oak Park, 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
Oak Park, IL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oak Park, IL or Austin, TX?
Oak Park, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oak Park, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Oak Park, IL or in Austin, TX?
Average pay runs 8% higher in Oak Park, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oak Park, IL compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,575 in Oak Park, IL versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Oak Park, IL and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $1,458 in Oak Park, IL versus $1,511 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Oak Park, IL and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Oak Park, IL – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Oak Park, IL or in Austin, TX?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Oak Park, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Oak Park, IL or Austin, TX?
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.
How safe is Oak Park, IL compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Oak Park, IL 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oak Park, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Oak Park, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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