Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Joseph, MI and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Joseph, MI: $1,920 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Saint Joseph, MI
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Saint Joseph, MI Living Index
125

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

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Saint Joseph, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,920

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,920 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Saint Joseph, MI $1,920
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,070 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Saint Joseph, MI $3,070
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,219 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Saint Joseph, MI $4,219
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Saint Joseph, MI costs roughly 26% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Joseph, MI 41% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.89 $13.89

$20.35 $20.35

-31.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$84.7 $84.7

-12.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 $8.74

$12.12 $12.12

-27.89%

Cappuccino

$4.01 $4.01

$5.65 $5.65

-29.03%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$3.68 $3.68

-18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.36 $2.36

-13.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 $3.91

$7.87 $7.87

-50.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$8.82 $8.82

-43.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.14 $1.14

-28.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.69 $3.69

-22.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.31 $3.31

-10.57%

Eggs

$3.53 $3.53

$4.15 $4.15

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 $7.85

$12.98 $12.98

-39.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$13.86 $13.86

-24.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.36 $8.36

$16.34 $16.34

-48.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$4.69 $4.69

21.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.45 $1.45

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$5.11 $5.11

-30.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.52 $4.52

19.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.08 $3.08

-43.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.38 $2.38

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.80 $1.80

-9.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.22 $2.22

10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 $12.15

$9.97 $9.97

21.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$15.05 $15.05

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.91 $2.91

-41.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.33 $3.33

-0.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.22 $1.22

65.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 $53.9

$40.53 $40.53

33.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.78 $2.78

9.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.65 $1.65

8.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.76 $29.76

$35.39 $35.39

-15.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.95 $0.95

-15.79%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$34.2K $34.2K

-28.54%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.21%

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

$172 $172

$223 $223

-23.04%

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

$51.1 $51.1

$58.5 $58.5

-12.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 $51.9

$71.2 $71.2

-27.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 $41.52

$53.0 $53.0

-21.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 $10.59

$14.06 $14.06

-24.68%

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

$1,521 $1,521

$1,459 $1,459

4.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$21.3K $21.3K

9.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 $40.22

$52.5 $52.5

-23.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.07 $49.07

$42.75 $42.75

14.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 $76.1

$86.4 $86.4

-11.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 $75.6

$104 $104

-27.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 $1,075

$2,112 $2,112

-49.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 $842

$1,230 $1,230

-31.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 $1,887

$3,863 $3,863

-51.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 $1,791

$2,407 $2,407

-25.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,773 $2,773

$7,426 $7,426

-62.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,380 $2,380

$3,060 $3,060

-22.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,999 $4,999

$5,179 $5,179

-3.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.82

-5.72%

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Joseph, MI

$842 43.9%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 46.1% $388

Groceries & Markets

Saint Joseph, MI

$323 16.8%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 27% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Joseph, MI

$275 14.3%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 28.5% $78

Eating Out

Saint Joseph, MI

$235 12.3%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 48% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Joseph, MI

$108 5.7%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 18.4% $20

Getting Around

Saint Joseph, MI

$74 3.9%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 23.7% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Joseph, MI

$63 3.3%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 29.4% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,075 in Saint Joseph, MI and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 4% 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: $74 in Saint Joseph, MI vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $410 per month, with Saint Joseph, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:11 8:11 AM

07:11 7:11 AM

1 h behind Saint Joseph, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,780

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Saint Joseph, MI Austin, TX 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Joseph, MI
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

Saint Joseph, MI vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Joseph, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Saint Joseph, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Saint Joseph, MI. 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: $1,075 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,920 per month in Saint Joseph, MI versus $2,607 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 25% less than in Saint Joseph, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

It comes down to priorities – Saint Joseph, MI wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.