Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Parker, CO and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Parker, CO and in Austin, TX: $2,615 and $2,607 a month, rent and utilities included.

Parker, CO, United States
Austin, TX, United States
Parker, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,615
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,615 in Parker, CO versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

  • Parker, CO $2,615
  • Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,880 in Parker, CO versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

  • Parker, CO $3,880
  • Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,144 in Parker, CO versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

  • Parker, CO $5,144
  • Austin, TX $5,454

Monthly costs are close between Parker, CO and Austin, TX; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Parker, CO 92% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.03 $20.03
$20.35 $20.35
-1.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.0 $79.0
$84.7 $84.7
-6.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.08 $11.08
$12.12 $12.12
-8.58%
Cappuccino
$5.75 $5.75
$5.65 $5.65
1.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 $2.53
$3.68 $3.68
-31.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$2.36 $2.36
-12.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.92 $5.92
$7.87 $7.87
-24.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.05 $7.05
$8.82 $8.82
-20.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.14 $1.14
-22.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.92 $2.92
$3.69 $3.69
-20.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.78 $2.78
$3.31 $3.31
-16.01%
Eggs
$4.33 $4.33
$4.15 $4.15
4.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.62 $8.62
$12.98 $12.98
-33.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.52 $9.52
$13.86 $13.86
-31.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 $15.37
$16.34 $16.34
-5.94%
Apples (1kg)
$4.84 $4.84
$4.69 $4.69
3.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.45 $1.45
-14.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.66 $4.66
$5.11 $5.11
-8.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.31 $5.31
$4.52 $4.52
17.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 $1.60
$3.08 $3.08
-48.05%
Onion (1kg)
$2.38 $2.38
$2.38 $2.38
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.80 $1.80
7.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$2.22 $2.22
-22.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.32 $10.32
$9.97 $9.97
3.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.02 $15.02
$15.05 $15.05
-0.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.91 $2.91
-13.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 $2.61
$3.33 $3.33
-21.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.22 $1.22
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.53 $40.53
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.44 $2.44
$2.78 $2.78
-12.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.83 $1.83
$1.65 $1.65
10.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.58 $24.58
$35.39 $35.39
-30.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$0.95 $0.95
-10.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K $28.5K
$34.2K $34.2K
-16.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$26.8K $26.8K
-5.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 $215
$223 $223
-3.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.9 $56.9
$58.5 $58.5
-2.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.3 $70.3
$71.2 $71.2
-1.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 $64.1
$53.0 $53.0
20.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.75 $16.75
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.80 $10.80
$14.06 $14.06
-23.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,111 $1,111
$1,459 $1,459
-23.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K $12.6K
$21.3K $21.3K
-41.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.4 $58.4
$52.5 $52.5
11.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.31 $40.31
$42.75 $42.75
-5.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 $79.9
$86.4 $86.4
-7.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$104 $104
11.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,599 $1,599
$2,112 $2,112
-24.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,370 $1,370
$1,230 $1,230
11.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,662 $2,662
$3,863 $3,863
-31.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,407 $2,407
$2,407 $2,407
-0.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,474 $3,474
$7,426 $7,426
-53.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,104 $3,104
$3,060 $3,060
1.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Parker, CO
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,415 $6,415
$5,179 $5,179
23.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.38
6.82
-6.45%

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

Last update for Parker, CO: October 24, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Parker, CO
$1.4K
Austin, TX
$1.2K 10.2% $140
Groceries & Markets
Parker, CO
$348
Austin, TX
$410 17.6% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Parker, CO
$342
Austin, TX
$353 3.1% $11
Eating Out
Parker, CO
$325
Austin, TX
$348 7.3% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Parker, CO
$132
Austin, TX
$128 2.9% $3.8
Sport & Entertainment
Parker, CO
$86
Austin, TX
$81 5.3% $4.5
Getting Around
Parker, CO
$12 *
Austin, TX
$56 387% $45

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 $1,599 in Parker, CO and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Parker, CO pays 24% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79 in Parker, CO vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $410 per month, with Parker, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Parker, CO
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
07:32 7:32 AM
08:32 8:32 AM
1 h ahead of Parker, CO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
49,550
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Parker, CO Austin, TX 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Parker, CO
  • 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
Parker, CO vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Are salaries higher in Parker, CO or in Austin, TX?
Average pay runs 24% higher in Parker, CO, 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 Parker, CO compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,599 in Parker, CO versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Parker, CO or in Austin, TX?
Shoppers in Parker, CO pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Parker, CO and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Parker, CO – a meal for two runs $79 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Parker, CO or in Austin, TX?
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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Parker, CO 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.
Should I move to Parker, CO or to Austin, TX?
It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, Parker, CO on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Parker, CO vs other spots: cost of living compared

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