Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rapid City, SD and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Rapid City, SD: $2,396 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Rapid City, SD
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Rapid City, SD Living Index
130

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

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Rapid City, SD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,396

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,396 in Rapid City, SD versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Rapid City, SD $2,396
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,381 in Rapid City, SD versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Rapid City, SD $3,381
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,366 in Rapid City, SD versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Rapid City, SD $4,366
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Rapid City, SD costs roughly 10% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rapid City, SD 77% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 $17.25

$20.77 $20.77

-16.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 $63.5

$84.6 $84.6

-24.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 $11.03

$12.32 $12.32

-10.47%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$5.63 $5.63

0.18%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$3.72 $3.72

-34.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.50 $2.50

-28.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.96 $3.96

$8.05 $8.05

-50.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 $5.59

$9.01 $9.01

-37.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.12 $1.12

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.75 $3.75

-18.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.26 $3.26

-40.49%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$4.17 $4.17

6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$12.90 $12.90

0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 $7.82

$14.16 $14.16

-44.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 $12.92

$16.22 $16.22

-20.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$4.33 $4.33

-18.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.46 $1.46

-10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$4.51 $4.51

-40.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$4.34 $4.34

-16.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.58 $2.58

-24.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.35 $2.35

5.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.78 $1.78

21.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.22 $2.22

30.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 $9.72

$9.88 $9.88

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 $13.76

$15.08 $15.08

-8.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.92 $2.92

-39.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.46 $3.46

43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.49 $1.49

1.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.46 $30.46

$41.72 $41.72

-26.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.73 $2.73

8.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.66 $1.66

-24.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.76 $24.76

$35.30 $35.30

-29.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.95 $0.95

-8.42%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.26%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

20.63%

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

$195 $195

$229 $229

-14.82%

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

$46.23 $46.23

$59.4 $59.4

-22.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 $62.8

$69.9 $69.9

-10.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 $51.0

$57.2 $57.2

-10.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 $14.97

$16.33 $16.33

-8.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$14.28 $14.28

-17.58%

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

$766 $766

$1,506 $1,506

-49.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 $62.7

$52.8 $52.8

18.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 $75.4

$43.82 $43.82

72.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 $77.6

$84.8 $84.8

-8.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$103 $103

7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 $952

$1,907 $1,907

-50.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$1,274 $1,274

-5.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 $1,742

$3,664 $3,664

-52.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$2,538 $2,538

-30.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,624 $2,624

$7,614 $7,614

-65.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,599 $2,599

$3,157 $3,157

-17.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,778 $3,778

$5,121 $5,121

-26.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.79

-5.15%

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

Last update for Rapid City, SD: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rapid City, SD

$1.2K 50.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 6.2% $74

Groceries & Markets

Rapid City, SD

$339 14.1%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 19.5% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rapid City, SD

$304 12.7%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 17.8% $54

Eating Out

Rapid City, SD

$287 12%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 23.5% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Rapid City, SD

$147 6.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 12.7% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Rapid City, SD

$75 3.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 15.1% $11

Getting Around

Rapid City, SD

$46 1.9%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 28.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Rapid City, SD and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 36% 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: $64.0 in Rapid City, SD vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $405 per month, with Rapid City, SD cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rapid City, SD

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:12 11:12 AM

12:12 12:12 PM

1 h ahead of Rapid City, SD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,703

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rapid City, SD Austin, TX 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Rapid City, SD
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

Rapid City, SD vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rapid City, SD wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rapid City, SD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 36% 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: $952 in Rapid City, SD 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 $2,396 per month in Rapid City, SD versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rapid City, SD runs roughly 37% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,396 in Rapid City, SD versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rapid City, SD but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Rapid City, SD 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 Rapid City, SD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.