Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,050 in Renton, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Renton, WA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

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

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

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Renton, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,050

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,050 in Renton, WA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Renton, WA $3,050
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,076 in Renton, WA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Renton, WA $4,076
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,101 in Renton, WA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Renton, WA $5,101
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Renton, WA is roughly 15% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Renton, WA 126% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$20.77 $20.77

-4.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.3 $93.3

$84.6 $84.6

10.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$12.32 $12.32

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$4.72 $4.72

$5.63 $5.63

-16.16%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$3.72 $3.72

-34.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.50 $2.50

-14.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$8.05 $8.05

-37.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$9.01 $9.01

-22.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.12 $1.12

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.75 $3.75

9.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.26 $3.26

9.82%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$4.17 $4.17

19.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$12.90 $12.90

0.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$14.16 $14.16

-51.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 $16.07

$16.22 $16.22

-0.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$4.33 $4.33

-21.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.46 $1.46

15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$4.51 $4.51

-51.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.34 $4.34

-20.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.58 $2.58

-9.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.35 $2.35

-2.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.78 $1.78

-0.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.22 $2.22

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.33 $13.33

$9.88 $9.88

34.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 $9.82

$15.08 $15.08

-34.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.92 $2.92

-41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.46 $3.46

-15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.49 $1.49

135.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.9 $75.9

$41.72 $41.72

81.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.73 $2.73

30.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.66 $1.66

-60.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.83 $14.83

$35.30 $35.30

-57.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.95 $0.95

31.58%

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

$18.7K $18.7K

$36.0K $36.0K

-48.12%

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

$22.8K $22.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-15.87%

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

$198 $198

$229 $229

-13.60%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$59.4 $59.4

0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$69.9 $69.9

-10.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 $38.64

$57.2 $57.2

-32.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.38 $39.38

$16.33 $16.33

141.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$14.28 $14.28

5.25%

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

$1,629 $1,629

$1,506 $1,506

8.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K $16.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

-23.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$52.8 $52.8

-0.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.41 $30.41

$43.82 $43.82

-30.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 $64.5

$84.8 $84.8

-23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 $78.9

$103 $103

-23.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,776 $1,776

$1,907 $1,907

-6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 $1,814

$1,274 $1,274

42.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,952 $2,952

$3,664 $3,664

-19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,242 $2,242

$2,538 $2,538

-11.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,800 $4,800

$7,614 $7,614

-36.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,808 $3,808

$3,157 $3,157

20.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,965 $4,965

$5,121 $5,121

-3.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.79

-2.95%

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

Last update for Renton, 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

Renton, WA

$1.8K 59.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 29.8% $540

Groceries & Markets

Renton, WA

$340 11.1%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 19.1% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Renton, WA

$320 10.5%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 12% $39

Eating Out

Renton, WA

$309 10.2%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 14.3% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Renton, WA

$102 3.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 25.6% $26

Getting Around

Renton, WA

$97 3.2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 39.4% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Renton, WA

$69 2.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 24.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,776 in Renton, WA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $93.0 in Renton, WA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $405, with Renton, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Renton, WA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

10:37 10:37 AM

12:37 12:37 PM

2 h ahead of Renton, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,785

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Renton, WA Austin, TX 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

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Renton, WA
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Renton, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 3% 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: $1,776 in Renton, 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 $3,050 per month in Renton, WA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 82% less than in Renton, 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 15% less than in Renton, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.