Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Spartanburg, SC and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Spartanburg, SC: $2,268 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Austin, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Spartanburg, SC, United States
Austin, TX, United States
Spartanburg, SC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,268
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Spartanburg, SC versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

  • Spartanburg, SC $2,268
  • Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,352 in Spartanburg, SC versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

  • Spartanburg, SC $3,352
  • Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,435 in Spartanburg, SC versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

  • Spartanburg, SC $4,435
  • Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Spartanburg, SC costs roughly 13% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Spartanburg, SC 67% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.11 $17.11
$20.35 $20.35
-15.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.4 $59.4
$84.7 $84.7
-29.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.93 $9.93
$12.12 $12.12
-18.07%
Cappuccino
$5.62 $5.62
$5.65 $5.65
-0.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$3.68 $3.68
-39.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.36 $2.36
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.86 $4.86
$7.87 $7.87
-38.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.85 $6.85
$8.82 $8.82
-22.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.14 $1.14
-17.54%
White Bread (500g)
$3.46 $3.46
$3.69 $3.69
-6.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.36 $5.36
$3.31 $3.31
61.93%
Eggs
$3.80 $3.80
$4.15 $4.15
-8.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.99 $12.99
$12.98 $12.98
0.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.54 $12.54
$13.86 $13.86
-9.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.30 $16.30
$16.34 $16.34
-0.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$4.69 $4.69
-30.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
$1.45 $1.45
62.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.89 $3.89
$5.11 $5.11
-23.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.98 $5.98
$4.52 $4.52
32.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.57 $2.57
$3.08 $3.08
-16.56%
Onion (1kg)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.38 $2.38
56.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.80 $1.80
24.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$2.22 $2.22
32.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.13 $9.13
$9.97 $9.97
-8.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.44 $16.44
$15.05 $15.05
9.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.91 $2.91
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.88 $6.88
$3.33 $3.33
106.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.22 $1.22
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$122 $122
$40.53 $40.53
200.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.78 $2.78
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.65 $1.65
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$35.39 $35.39
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 $0.80
$0.95 $0.95
-15.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K $34.6K
$34.2K $34.2K
1.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$26.8K $26.8K
-0.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$175 $175
$223 $223
-21.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$91.9 $91.9
$58.5 $58.5
57.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.3 $62.3
$71.2 $71.2
-12.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.35 $26.35
$53.0 $53.0
-50.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.75 $16.75
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.23 $12.23
$14.06 $14.06
-13.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$960 $960
$1,459 $1,459
-34.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$21.3K $21.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.11 $42.11
$52.5 $52.5
-19.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.61 $35.61
$42.75 $42.75
-16.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 $80.4
$86.4 $86.4
-7.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 $121
$104 $104
16.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,267 $1,267
$2,112 $2,112
-39.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$937 $937
$1,230 $1,230
-23.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,180 $2,180
$3,863 $3,863
-43.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,560 $1,560
$2,407 $2,407
-35.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,793 $1,793
$7,426 $7,426
-75.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,806 $1,806
$3,060 $3,060
-40.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spartanburg, SC
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,369 $3,369
$5,179 $5,179
-34.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.22
6.82
5.87%

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

Last update for Spartanburg, SC: 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
Spartanburg, SC
$937
Austin, TX
$1.2K 31.3% $294
Groceries & Markets
Spartanburg, SC
$413 *
Austin, TX
$410 0.8% $3.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spartanburg, SC
$330
Austin, TX
$353 7% $23
Eating Out
Spartanburg, SC
$291
Austin, TX
$348 19.8% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Spartanburg, SC
$126
Austin, TX
$128 2.3% $2.9
Getting Around
Spartanburg, SC
$122 *
Austin, TX
$56 53.6% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Spartanburg, SC
$51
Austin, TX
$81 59.7% $30

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,267 in Spartanburg, SC and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 54% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $59 in Spartanburg, SC vs $85 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $413 vs $410, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Spartanburg, SC
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
16:24 4:24 PM
15:24 3:24 PM
1 h behind Spartanburg, SC
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,013
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Spartanburg, SC Austin, TX 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Spartanburg, SC
  • 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
Spartanburg, SC vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Spartanburg, SC or Austin, TX?
Spartanburg, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Spartanburg, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Spartanburg, SC or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Spartanburg, SC. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Spartanburg, SC compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,267 in Spartanburg, SC versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Spartanburg, SC and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $960 in Spartanburg, SC versus $1,459 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Spartanburg, SC and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Spartanburg, SC – a meal for two runs $59 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Spartanburg, SC or in Austin, TX?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Spartanburg, SC is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Spartanburg, SC or Austin, TX?
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.
Should I move to Spartanburg, SC or to Austin, TX?
It comes down to priorities – Spartanburg, SC wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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