Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Odessa, TX and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Odessa, TX: $2,550 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Austin, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

124

Cost of Living Index in Odessa, TX
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Odessa, TX Living Index
129

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

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Odessa, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,550

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,550 in Odessa, TX versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Odessa, TX $2,550
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,917 in Odessa, TX versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Odessa, TX $3,917
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,284 in Odessa, TX versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Odessa, TX $5,284
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Odessa, TX costs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Odessa, TX 88% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$39.54 $39.54

$20.63 $20.63

91.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 $73.0

$84.6 $84.6

-13.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 $11.72

$12.07 $12.07

-2.90%

Cappuccino

$5.99 $5.99

$5.48 $5.48

9.31%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.80 $3.80

-28.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.47 $2.47

13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$8.05 $8.05

-38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 $5.91

$8.88 $8.88

-33.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.11 $1.11

-14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.72 $3.72

-6.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.37 $3.37

35.01%

Eggs

$3.08 $3.08

$4.32 $4.32

-28.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.67 $7.67

$13.13 $13.13

-41.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.90 $16.90

$14.15 $14.15

19.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.19 $17.19

$16.33 $16.33

5.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.55 $4.55

10.99%

Banana (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.46 $1.46

126.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$4.71 $4.71

15.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$4.15 $4.15

21.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.58 $2.58

39.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.35 $2.35

35.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.77 $1.77

46.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.14 $2.14

114.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$10.10 $10.10

-2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.85 $17.85

$15.19 $15.19

17.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.82 $2.82

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.44 $3.44

-13.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.54 $1.54

26.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.6 $80.6

$40.99 $40.99

96.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.80 $2.80

-1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.60 $1.60

9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.77 $27.77

$34.34 $34.34

-19.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.94 $0.94

-5.32%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$34.0K $34.0K

-16.38%

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

$22.2K $22.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-17.04%

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

$197 $197

$223 $223

-11.43%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$58.9 $58.9

-0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$70.6 $70.6

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 $42.29

$57.7 $57.7

-26.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 $14.07

$14.26 $14.26

-1.33%

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

$1,510 $1,510

$1,511 $1,511

-0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

0.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$51.3 $51.3

24.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.00 $42.00

$44.17 $44.17

-4.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$87.0 $87.0

2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$104 $104

11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 $1,491

$1,940 $1,940

-23.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 $967

$1,316 $1,316

-26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$3,664 $3,664

-39.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 $1,822

$2,565 $2,565

-28.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,699 $1,699

$7,354 $7,354

-76.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 $1,707

$3,129 $3,129

-45.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,325 $4,325

$5,286 $5,286

-18.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

6.79

3.83%

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

Last update for Odessa, TX: 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

Odessa, TX

$967 37.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 36.2% $350

Eating Out

Odessa, TX

$482 18.9%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 27.4% $132

Groceries & Markets

Odessa, TX

$464 18.2%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 12.5% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Odessa, TX

$327 12.8%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 7.8% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Odessa, TX

$140 5.5%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 7.9% $11

Getting Around

Odessa, TX

$100 3.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 42% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Odessa, TX

$70 2.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 22.4% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,491 in Odessa, TX and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 22% 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: $73.0 in Odessa, TX vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $464 vs $406, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Odessa, TX

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

16:41 4:41 PM

Same time as Odessa, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

114,428

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Odessa, TX Austin, TX 470 km

From you

Odessa, TX
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

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

Odessa, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Odessa, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 22% 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: $1,491 in Odessa, TX 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 $2,550 per month in Odessa, TX versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Odessa, TX runs roughly 97% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Odessa, 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 Odessa, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.