Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Charles, IL and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Charles, IL and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,745 in Saint Charles, IL versus $2,659 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,096 in Saint Charles, IL versus $4,101 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,447 in Saint Charles, IL versus $5,542 in Austin, TX.

Living in Saint Charles, IL is roughly 3% more expensive than Austin, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Charles, IL 105% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.79 $37.79

$19.63 $19.63

92.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$75.1 $75.1

30.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 $10.71

$9.92 $9.92

7.96%

Cappuccino

$6.85 $6.85

$5.67 $5.67

20.81%

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

$3.28 $3.28

$2.77 $2.77

18.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.17 $2.17

40.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.01 $7.01

$5.84 $5.84

20.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 $7.69

$7.77 $7.77

-1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.09 $1.09

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.41 $3.41

2.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.43 $3.43

27.41%

Eggs

$4.58 $4.58

$4.39 $4.39

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$11.95 $11.95

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$10.76 $10.76

7.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$14.29 $14.29

-7.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.84 $4.84

-1.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.55 $1.55

-31.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.46 $4.46

-7.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$3.91 $3.91

23.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.74 $2.74

2.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.74 $2.74

2.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.04 $2.04

-21.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.25 $2.25

-1.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 $9.46

$8.93 $8.93

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$14.85 $14.85

1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.35 $2.35

-24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.57 $3.57

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.47 $1.47

39.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.28 $4.28

-17.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.84 $1.84

-10.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.12 $29.12

$35.54 $35.54

-18.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.72 $0.72

15.28%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$25.7K $25.7K

16.98%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

-2.13%

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

$184 $184

$174 $174

6.02%

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

$52.2 $52.2

$60.2 $60.2

-13.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$66.3 $66.3

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.09 $43.09

$62.8 $62.8

-31.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 $13.36

$15.24 $15.24

-12.34%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$1,387 $1,387

-6.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$22.2K $22.2K

5.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$56.7 $56.7

-10.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.81 $39.81

$45.34 $45.34

-12.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$86.5 $86.5

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$119 $119

-5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$2,247 $2,247

-28.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$1,430 $1,430

-5.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,602 $2,602

$3,778 $3,778

-31.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$2,641 $2,641

-16.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 $2,639

$7,044 $7,044

-62.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,682 $2,682

$3,162 $3,162

-15.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,108 $5,108

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.45

0.93%

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

Last update for Saint Charles, IL: June 1, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Saint Charles, IL and $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Saint Charles, IL vs $75.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $377 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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

Saint Charles, IL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $4,118 in Saint Charles, IL and $3,989 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,602 in Saint Charles, IL versus $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,299 in Saint Charles, IL versus $1,387 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 Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $98.0 in Saint Charles, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Safety-wise, Saint Charles, IL and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Saint Charles, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.