Cost of Living Comparison Between Silver City, NM and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Silver City, NM and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,683 in Silver City, NM versus $2,659 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,762 in Silver City, NM versus $4,101 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,841 in Silver City, NM versus $5,542 in Austin, TX.

Living in Silver City, NM is roughly 1% more expensive than Austin, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Silver City, NM 100% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 $18.01

$19.63 $19.63

-8.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 $57.1

$75.1 $75.1

-23.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$9.92 $9.92

22.58%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$5.67 $5.67

-8.64%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$2.77 $2.77

4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.17 $2.17

-34.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.84 $5.84

-9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$7.77 $7.77

-24.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.09 $1.09

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.41 $3.41

-3.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.43 $3.43

45.77%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$4.39 $4.39

-1.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 $10.79

$11.95 $11.95

-9.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$10.76 $10.76

3.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 $14.84

$14.29 $14.29

3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.84 $4.84

-11.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.55 $1.55

18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$4.46 $4.46

-11.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.91 $3.91

5.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.74 $2.74

-11.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.74 $2.74

-10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.04 $2.04

-4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.25 $2.25

-35.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 $9.46

$8.93 $8.93

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 $13.42

$14.85 $14.85

-9.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.35 $2.35

-10.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.57 $3.57

-6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.47 $1.47

38.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.28 $4.28

-35.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.84 $1.84

-24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$35.54 $35.54

-0.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.72 $0.72

20.83%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

19.60%

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

$21.8K $21.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

-16.55%

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

$265 $265

$174 $174

52.40%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$60.2 $60.2

17.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 $69.3

$66.3 $66.3

4.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.51 $42.51

$62.8 $62.8

-32.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$12.83 $12.83

$15.24 $15.24

-15.81%

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

$1,070 $1,070

$1,387 $1,387

-22.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$22.2K $22.2K

-28.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$56.7 $56.7

-10.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 $38.59

$45.34 $45.34

-14.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$86.5 $86.5

-1.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$119 $119

-11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 $1,014

$2,247 $2,247

-54.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 $1,347

$1,430 $1,430

-5.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 $1,781

$3,778 $3,778

-52.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$2,641 $2,641

-16.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 $1,886

$7,044 $7,044

-73.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,916 $1,916

$3,162 $3,162

-39.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,965 $2,965

$5,108 $5,108

-41.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.45

1.40%

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

Last update for Silver City, NM: May 31, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Silver City, NM and $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Silver City, NM vs $75.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $377 per month, with Silver City, NM 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

Silver City, NM vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Silver City, NM. 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, Austin, TX earns 72% less. 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: $1,014 in Silver City, NM versus $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,070 in Silver City, NM 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 $57.0 in Silver City, NM. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,659 in Austin, TX versus $2,683 in Silver City, NM, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Austin, TX but tight or insufficient in Silver City, NM. The gap between the two cities makes Austin, TX 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Silver City, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.