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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,738 in Plainfield, IL versus $2,659 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,784 in Plainfield, IL versus $4,101 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,830 in Plainfield, IL versus $5,542 in Austin, TX.

Living in Plainfield, IL is roughly 3% more expensive than Austin, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Plainfield, IL 104% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 $15.27

$19.63 $19.63

-22.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.2 $86.2

$75.1 $75.1

14.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 $11.54

$9.92 $9.92

16.33%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.67 $5.67

-3.17%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$2.77 $2.77

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.17 $2.17

7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$5.84 $5.84

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.77 $7.77

2.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.09 $1.09

-30.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.41 $3.41

-20.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.43 $3.43

-1.17%

Eggs

$5.02 $5.02

$4.39 $4.39

14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$11.95 $11.95

-26.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.82 $8.82

$10.76 $10.76

-18.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 $13.51

$14.29 $14.29

-5.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.84 $4.84

-11.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.55 $1.55

10.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$4.46 $4.46

-32.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.91 $3.91

-8.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.74 $2.74

-21.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.74 $2.74

-13.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.04 $2.04

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.25 $2.25

-35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.15 $8.15

$8.93 $8.93

-8.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 $10.05

$14.85 $14.85

-32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.35 $2.35

-8.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.57 $3.57

-14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.47 $1.47

37.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$4.28 $4.28

-17.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.84 $1.84

14.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.36 $29.36

$35.54 $35.54

-17.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.72 $0.72

29.17%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

-4.26%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

-13.20%

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

$171 $171

$174 $174

-1.66%

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

$42.26 $42.26

$60.2 $60.2

-29.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 $51.6

$66.3 $66.3

-22.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.30 $43.30

$62.8 $62.8

-31.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 $10.92

$15.24 $15.24

-28.35%

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

$1,217 $1,217

$1,387 $1,387

-12.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$22.2K $22.2K

6.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 $44.39

$56.7 $56.7

-21.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 $39.82

$45.34 $45.34

-12.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 $65.6

$86.5 $86.5

-24.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$119 $119

27.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 $1,624

$2,247 $2,247

-27.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$1,430 $1,430

9.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$3,778 $3,778

-36.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 $2,377

$2,641 $2,641

-9.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,434 $2,434

$7,044 $7,044

-65.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,266 $2,266

$3,162 $3,162

-28.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,108 $5,108

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.45

1.09%

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

Last update for Plainfield, IL: June 2, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,624 in Plainfield, IL and $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Plainfield, IL vs $75.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $314 vs $377, with Plainfield, IL cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Plainfield, IL and Austin, TX differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,738 vs $2,659 including rent). Austin, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,106 in Plainfield, IL and $3,989 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,624 in Plainfield, IL versus $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,217 in Plainfield, IL versus $1,387 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $86.0 in Plainfield, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,659 in Austin, TX versus $2,738 in Plainfield, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Austin, TX but tight or insufficient in Plainfield, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Austin, TX 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.

Safety-wise, Plainfield, 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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Plainfield, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.