Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between South Bend, IN and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in South Bend, IN: $1,856 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in South Bend, IN
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South Bend, IN Living Index
130

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

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South Bend, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,856

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,856 in South Bend, IN versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

South Bend, IN $1,856
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,858 in South Bend, IN versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

South Bend, IN $2,858
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,860 in South Bend, IN versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

South Bend, IN $3,860
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in South Bend, IN costs roughly 30% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: South Bend, IN 37% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 $14.79

$20.77 $20.77

-28.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$84.6 $84.6

-29.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 $7.95

$12.32 $12.32

-35.47%

Cappuccino

$4.54 $4.54

$5.63 $5.63

-19.36%

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

$1.82 $1.82

$3.72 $3.72

-51.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.50 $2.50

-34.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$8.05 $8.05

-27.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$9.01 $9.01

-45.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.12 $1.12

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.75 $3.75

-28.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.26 $3.26

-15.64%

Eggs

$2.95 $2.95

$4.17 $4.17

-29.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$12.90 $12.90

-22.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.18 $10.18

$14.16 $14.16

-28.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$16.22 $16.22

-46.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.33 $4.33

-38.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.46 $1.46

-15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$4.51 $4.51

-46.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$4.34 $4.34

-69.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.58 $2.58

-28.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.35 $2.35

-33.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.78 $1.78

-19.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.22 $2.22

-8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 $4.98

$9.88 $9.88

-49.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 $10.52

$15.08 $15.08

-30.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.92 $2.92

-30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.46 $3.46

-24.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.49 $1.49

-31.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.61 $34.61

$41.72 $41.72

-17.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.73 $2.73

74.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.66 $1.66

18.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.27 $31.27

$35.30 $35.30

-11.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.95 $0.95

-7.37%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$36.0K $36.0K

0.29%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-5.32%

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

$132 $132

$229 $229

-42.53%

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

$42.77 $42.77

$59.4 $59.4

-27.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 $60.7

$69.9 $69.9

-13.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 $42.26

$57.2 $57.2

-26.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.56 $25.56

$16.33 $16.33

56.52%

Cinema Ticket

$13.85 $13.85

$14.28 $14.28

-3.01%

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

$899 $899

$1,506 $1,506

-40.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$21.5K $21.5K

-0.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$52.8 $52.8

-4.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.10 $30.10

$43.82 $43.82

-31.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$84.8 $84.8

15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$103 $103

13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$1,907 $1,907

-14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 $839

$1,274 $1,274

-34.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 $2,475

$3,664 $3,664

-32.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$2,538 $2,538

-37.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,555 $1,555

$7,614 $7,614

-79.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,606 $1,606

$3,157 $3,157

-49.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,314 $3,314

$5,121 $5,121

-35.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.79

-6.33%

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

Last update for South Bend, IN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

South Bend, IN

$839 45.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 51.9% $435

Groceries & Markets

South Bend, IN

$277 14.9%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 46.3% $128

Eating Out

South Bend, IN

$250 13.5%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 41.8% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

South Bend, IN

$235 12.7%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 52.4% $123

Clothing & Footwear

South Bend, IN

$133 7.2%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 3.5% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

South Bend, IN

$70 3.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 22.6% $16

Getting Around

South Bend, IN

$53 2.9%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 10.2% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in South Bend, IN and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 55% 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: $59.0 in South Bend, IN vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $405 per month, with South Bend, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 South Bend, IN

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

21:49 9:49 PM

20:49 8:49 PM

1 h behind South Bend, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,453

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

South Bend, IN Austin, TX 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

South Bend, IN
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

South Bend, IN vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Bend, IN wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making South Bend, IN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 55% 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: $1,633 in South Bend, IN 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 $1,856 per month in South Bend, IN versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in South Bend, IN runs roughly 21% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. South Bend, IN 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 South Bend, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.