Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Spokane, WA and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Spokane, WA and in Austin, TX: $2,601 and $2,607 a month, rent and utilities included.

Spokane, WA, United States
Austin, TX, United States
Spokane, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,601
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,601 in Spokane, WA versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

  • Spokane, WA $2,601
  • Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Spokane, WA versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

  • Spokane, WA $3,839
  • Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,076 in Spokane, WA versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

  • Spokane, WA $5,076
  • Austin, TX $5,454

Monthly costs are close between Spokane, WA and Austin, TX; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Spokane, WA 91% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.70 $19.70
$20.35 $20.35
-3.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.9 $74.9
$84.7 $84.7
-11.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.84 $12.84
$12.12 $12.12
5.94%
Cappuccino
$5.01 $5.01
$5.65 $5.65
-11.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 $2.42
$3.68 $3.68
-34.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$2.36 $2.36
-7.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.85 $6.85
$7.87 $7.87
-12.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.18 $6.18
$8.82 $8.82
-29.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 $0.93
$1.14 $1.14
-18.42%
White Bread (500g)
$3.27 $3.27
$3.69 $3.69
-11.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.68 $4.68
$3.31 $3.31
41.39%
Eggs
$5.79 $5.79
$4.15 $4.15
39.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.79 $15.79
$12.98 $12.98
21.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.56 $13.56
$13.86 $13.86
-2.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.66 $16.66
$16.34 $16.34
1.96%
Apples (1kg)
$6.32 $6.32
$4.69 $4.69
34.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.45 $1.45
17.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.44 $5.44
$5.11 $5.11
6.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.62 $5.62
$4.52 $4.52
24.34%
Potato (1kg)
$3.13 $3.13
$3.08 $3.08
1.62%
Onion (1kg)
$3.08 $3.08
$2.38 $2.38
29.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.80 $1.80
14.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 $1.84
$2.22 $2.22
-17.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.07 $12.07
$9.97 $9.97
21.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.24 $14.24
$15.05 $15.05
-5.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$2.91 $2.91
-36.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.81 $4.81
$3.33 $3.33
44.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.22 $1.22
59.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.7 $60.7
$40.53 $40.53
49.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.11 $5.11
$2.78 $2.78
83.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.65 $1.65
3.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.78 $39.78
$35.39 $35.39
12.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 $1.36
$0.95 $0.95
43.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K $27.8K
$34.2K $34.2K
-18.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$26.8K $26.8K
1.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 $174
$223 $223
-21.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.8 $75.8
$58.5 $58.5
29.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.9 $73.9
$71.2 $71.2
3.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.38 $44.38
$53.0 $53.0
-16.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.84 $14.84
$16.75 $16.75
-11.40%
Cinema Ticket
$16.13 $16.13
$14.06 $14.06
14.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,403 $1,403
$1,459 $1,459
-3.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.4K $21.4K
$21.3K $21.3K
0.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.4 $52.4
$52.5 $52.5
-0.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.55 $49.55
$42.75 $42.75
15.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 $116
$86.4 $86.4
34.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 $144
$104 $104
39.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,625 $1,625
$2,112 $2,112
-23.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,200 $1,200
$1,230 $1,230
-2.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,093 $3,093
$3,863 $3,863
-19.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 $1,950
$2,407 $2,407
-18.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,290 $3,290
$7,426 $7,426
-55.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,276 $2,276
$3,060 $3,060
-25.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spokane, WA
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,440 $4,440
$5,179 $5,179
-14.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.76
6.82
-0.88%

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

Last update for Spokane, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Spokane, WA
$1.2K
Austin, TX
$1.2K 2.6% $31
Groceries & Markets
Spokane, WA
$434
Austin, TX
$410 5.6% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spokane, WA
$324
Austin, TX
$353 8.8% $29
Eating Out
Spokane, WA
$321
Austin, TX
$348 8.3% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Spokane, WA
$163
Austin, TX
$128 21.2% $35
Getting Around
Spokane, WA
$82
Austin, TX
$56 31.3% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Spokane, WA
$77
Austin, TX
$81 5.9% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Spokane, WA and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 17% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $75 in Spokane, WA vs $85 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $434 vs $410, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Spokane, WA
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
07:04 7:04 AM
09:04 9:04 AM
2 h ahead of Spokane, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
228,989
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Spokane, WA Austin, TX 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Spokane, WA
  • 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
Spokane, WA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Are salaries higher in Spokane, WA or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Spokane, WA. 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 Spokane, WA compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,625 in Spokane, WA 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 Spokane, WA and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $1,403 in Spokane, WA 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 Spokane, WA and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Spokane, WA – a meal for two runs $75 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Spokane, WA or in Austin, TX?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Spokane, WA gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Spokane, WA 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 Spokane, WA or to Austin, TX?
It comes down to priorities – Spokane, WA 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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