Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reading, PA and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Reading, PA and in Austin, TX: $2,611 and $2,698 a month, rent and utilities included.

126

Cost of Living Index in Reading, PA
Learn more

Reading, PA Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Reading, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,611

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,611 in Reading, PA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Reading, PA $2,611
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,660 in Reading, PA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Reading, PA $3,660
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,709 in Reading, PA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Reading, PA $4,709
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Reading, PA costs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Reading, PA 93% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.19 $24.19

$20.63 $20.63

17.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 $65.4

$84.6 $84.6

-22.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 $11.65

$12.07 $12.07

-3.48%

Cappuccino

$4.45 $4.45

$5.48 $5.48

-18.80%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$3.80 $3.80

-36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.47 $2.47

-39.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 $6.47

$8.05 $8.05

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$8.88 $8.88

-10.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.11 $1.11

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.72 $3.72

-9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.37 $3.37

8.31%

Eggs

$5.17 $5.17

$4.32 $4.32

19.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$13.13 $13.13

2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.40 $13.40

$14.15 $14.15

-5.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$16.33 $16.33

13.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$4.55 $4.55

-4.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.46 $1.46

36.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.71 $4.71

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.15 $4.15

-20.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.58 $2.58

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.35 $2.35

14.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.77 $1.77

30.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.14 $2.14

-16.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$10.10 $10.10

-1.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.19 $15.19

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.82 $2.82

-39.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.44 $3.44

-10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.80 $2.80

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.60 $1.60

38.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.24 $42.24

$34.34 $34.34

23.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.94 $0.94

7.45%

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

$32.1K $32.1K

$34.0K $34.0K

-5.65%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.86%

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

$212 $212

$223 $223

-4.87%

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

$48.15 $48.15

$58.9 $58.9

-18.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 $52.8

$70.6 $70.6

-25.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.42 $35.42

$57.7 $57.7

-38.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$20.78 $20.78

$14.26 $14.26

45.72%

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

$3,314 $3,314

$1,511 $1,511

119.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.0K $60.0K

$20.9K $20.9K

187.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 $75.4

$51.3 $51.3

47.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.9 $51.9

$44.17 $44.17

17.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$87.0 $87.0

36.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$104 $104

30.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 $1,493

$1,940 $1,940

-23.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 $1,288

$1,316 $1,316

-2.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 $2,050

$3,664 $3,664

-44.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 $1,820

$2,565 $2,565

-29.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,879 $1,879

$7,354 $7,354

-74.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,862 $1,862

$3,129 $3,129

-40.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,768 $2,768

$5,286 $5,286

-47.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

6.79

-2.65%

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

Last update for Reading, PA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Reading, PA

$1.3K 49.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 2.2% $28

Groceries & Markets

Reading, PA

$402 15.4%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 1.1% $4.3

Eating Out

Reading, PA

$346 13.2%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 1.3% $4.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Reading, PA

$313 12%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 12.6% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Reading, PA

$172 6.6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 25% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Reading, PA

$77 3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 12% $9.2

Getting Around

Reading, PA

$14 * 0.5%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 308% $44

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 $1,493 in Reading, PA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 91% 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: $65.0 in Reading, PA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $406 per month, with Reading, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Reading, PA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

20:36 8:36 PM

19:36 7:36 PM

1 h behind Reading, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

88,082

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

Reading, PA Austin, TX 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Reading, PA
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

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

Reading, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Reading, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 91% 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: $1,493 in Reading, PA versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,314 in Reading, PA versus $1,511 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 Reading, PA – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Reading, PA 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 Reading, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.