Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Preston and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Preston: $2,152 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Preston
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Preston Living Index
130

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

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Preston

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

$2,152

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,152 in Preston versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Preston $2,152
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,144 in Preston versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Preston $3,144
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,136 in Preston versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Preston $4,136
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Preston costs roughly 19% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Preston 59% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.47 £12.35

$20.77 $20.77

-20.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 £52.8

$84.6 $84.6

-16.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 £6.50

$12.32 $12.32

-29.71%

Cappuccino

$4.36 £3.27

$5.63 $5.63

-22.56%

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

$2.19 £1.65

$3.72 $3.72

-41.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 £1.00

$2.50 $2.50

-46.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 £3.87

$8.05 $8.05

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.25 £3.94

$9.01 $9.01

-41.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 £1.09

$1.12 $1.12

29.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 £1.06

$3.75 $3.75

-62.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 £1.25

$3.26 $3.26

-48.77%

Eggs

$3.51 £2.63

$4.17 $4.17

-15.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.26 £3.95

$12.90 $12.90

-59.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 £6.84

$14.16 $14.16

-35.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 £9.65

$16.22 $16.22

-20.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 £1.91

$4.33 $4.33

-41.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.26

$1.46 $1.46

15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 £1.90

$4.51 $4.51

-43.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 £2.87

$4.34 $4.34

-11.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.52

$2.58 $2.58

-21.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 £1.68

$2.35 $2.35

-4.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 £0.88

$1.78 $1.78

-34.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 £1.22

$2.22 $2.22

-26.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.41 £16.06

$9.88 $9.88

116.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 £6.93

$15.08 $15.08

-38.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 £2.30

$2.92 $2.92

5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 £2.45

$3.46 $3.46

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 £2.95

$1.49 $1.49

163.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 £74.1

$41.72 $41.72

136.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 £1.96

$2.73 $2.73

-4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 £1.55

$1.66 $1.66

24.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.40

$0.95 $0.95

96.84%

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

$37.2K £27.9K

$36.0K $36.0K

3.25%

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

$39.9K £29.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

47.31%

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

$434 £326

$229 $229

89.66%

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

$15.44 £11.59

$59.4 $59.4

-74.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.14 £33.87

$69.9 $69.9

-35.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.24 £30.19

$57.2 $57.2

-29.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 £12.50

$16.33 $16.33

2.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.50 £13.13

$14.28 $14.28

22.55%

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

$1,554 £1,166

$1,506 $1,506

3.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,467 £6,352

$21.5K $21.5K

-60.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 £55.7

$52.8 $52.8

40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.96 £19.47

$43.82 $43.82

-40.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 £48.72

$84.8 $84.8

-23.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.8 £50.1

$103 $103

-35.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 £733

$1,907 $1,907

-48.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 £610

$1,274 $1,274

-36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 £1,421

$3,664 $3,664

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 £1,087

$2,538 $2,538

-42.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,332 £2,499

$7,614 $7,614

-56.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,374 £1,781

$3,157 $3,157

-24.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,009 £2,258

$5,121 $5,121

-41.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.93

6.79

-27.39%

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

Last update for Preston: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Preston

$813 37.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 56.7% $461

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Preston

$495 23%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 27.6% $137

Groceries & Markets

Preston

$277 12.9%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 46.3% $128

Eating Out

Preston

$260 12.1%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 35.9% $93

Getting Around

Preston

$127 5.9%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 54% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Preston

$104 4.9%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 22.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Preston

$75 3.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 14% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Preston and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 70% 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: $70.0 in Preston vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $405 per month, with Preston cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇧 Preston

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

15:00 3:00 PM

09:00 9:00 AM

6 h behind Preston

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

114,300

974,447

💱 Currency

British Pound GBP £

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GBP = 1.33 USD

1 GBP = 1.19 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇧 British Pound (£)

British Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to GBP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Preston Austin, TX 7,650 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Preston
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

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

Preston wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Preston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 70% 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: $978 in Preston versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,152 per month in Preston versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Preston runs roughly 137% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,152 in Preston versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Preston but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Preston 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 Preston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.