Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puyallup, WA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,631 in Puyallup, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

177

Cost of Living Index in Puyallup, WA
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Puyallup, WA Living Index
130

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

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Puyallup, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,631

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,631 in Puyallup, WA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Puyallup, WA $3,631
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,078 in Puyallup, WA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Puyallup, WA $5,078
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,524 in Puyallup, WA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Puyallup, WA $6,524
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Puyallup, WA is roughly 36% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puyallup, WA 169% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.96 $24.96

$20.77 $20.77

20.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$84.6 $84.6

-7.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.78 $14.78

$12.32 $12.32

19.97%

Cappuccino

$6.57 $6.57

$5.63 $5.63

16.70%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$3.72 $3.72

-16.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.50 $2.50

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$8.05 $8.05

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$9.01 $9.01

-9.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.12 $1.12

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.75 $3.75

19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.26 $3.26

85.58%

Eggs

$5.52 $5.52

$4.17 $4.17

32.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.30 $18.30

$12.90 $12.90

41.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.94 $16.94

$14.16 $14.16

19.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.17 $23.17

$16.22 $16.22

42.85%

Apples (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$4.33 $4.33

38.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.46 $1.46

26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$4.51 $4.51

14.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$4.34 $4.34

44.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.58 $2.58

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.35 $2.35

35.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.78 $1.78

51.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.22 $2.22

12.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.97 $11.97

$9.88 $9.88

21.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 $17.91

$15.08 $15.08

18.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.92 $2.92

-41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.46 $3.46

46.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.49 $1.49

232.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$170 $170

$41.72 $41.72

308.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.73 $2.73

-6.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.66 $1.66

3.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.43 $30.43

$35.30 $35.30

-13.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.95 $0.95

47.37%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$36.0K $36.0K

-0.58%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$27.1K $27.1K

1.44%

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

$280 $280

$229 $229

22.49%

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

$90.4 $90.4

$59.4 $59.4

52.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$69.9 $69.9

25.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 $71.8

$57.2 $57.2

25.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 $19.96

$16.33 $16.33

22.23%

Cinema Ticket

$17.09 $17.09

$14.28 $14.28

19.68%

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

$3,056 $3,056

$1,506 $1,506

102.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

42.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 $61.5

$52.8 $52.8

16.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.51 $44.51

$43.82 $43.82

1.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$84.8 $84.8

49.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$103 $103

59.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 $1,872

$1,907 $1,907

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 $1,764

$1,274 $1,274

38.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,726 $2,726

$3,664 $3,664

-25.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 $2,533

$2,538 $2,538

-0.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,666 $6,666

$5,121 $5,121

30.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.79

-1.62%

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

Last update for Puyallup, WA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Puyallup, WA

$1.8K 48.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 27.8% $490

Groceries & Markets

Puyallup, WA

$517 14.2%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 21.7% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puyallup, WA

$459 12.6%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 21.9% $100

Eating Out

Puyallup, WA

$405 11.2%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 12.6% $51

Getting Around

Puyallup, WA

$201 5.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 70.9% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Puyallup, WA

$179 4.9%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 28.5% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Puyallup, WA

$106 2.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 19.1% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,872 in Puyallup, WA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 30% 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: $79.0 in Puyallup, WA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $517 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Puyallup, WA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

21:50 9:50 PM

23:50 11:50 PM

2 h ahead of Puyallup, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

42,973

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Puyallup, WA Austin, TX 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

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Puyallup, WA
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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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Puyallup, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Puyallup, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,872 in Puyallup, WA 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 $3,631 per month in Puyallup, WA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 309% less than in Puyallup, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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.

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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Puyallup, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.