Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Springfield, MA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,066 in Springfield, MA, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Springfield, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,066
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,066 in Springfield, MA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Springfield, MA $3,066
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,307 in Springfield, MA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Springfield, MA $4,307
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,548 in Springfield, MA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Springfield, MA $5,548
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Springfield, MA is roughly 15% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Springfield, MA 127% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.28 $23.28
$20.77 $20.77
12.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.2 $82.2
$84.6 $84.6
-2.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.08 $14.08
$12.32 $12.32
14.29%
Cappuccino
$6.29 $6.29
$5.63 $5.63
11.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 $2.71
$3.72 $3.72
-27.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.50 $2.50
-22.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 $5.94
$8.05 $8.05
-26.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.75 $8.75
$9.01 $9.01
-2.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.12 $1.12
-5.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 $2.68
$3.75 $3.75
-28.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.14 $2.14
$3.26 $3.26
-34.36%
Eggs
$3.52 $3.52
$4.17 $4.17
-15.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.49 $16.49
$12.90 $12.90
27.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.14 $11.14
$14.16 $14.16
-21.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.32 $18.32
$16.22 $16.22
12.95%
Apples (1kg)
$4.85 $4.85
$4.33 $4.33
12.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 $1.44
$1.46 $1.46
-1.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.44 $5.44
$4.51 $4.51
20.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.69 $4.69
$4.34 $4.34
8.06%
Potato (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.58 $2.58
26.74%
Onion (1kg)
$3.71 $3.71
$2.35 $2.35
57.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.23 $2.23
$1.78 $1.78
25.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$2.22 $2.22
-9.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.75 $13.75
$9.88 $9.88
39.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.07 $14.07
$15.08 $15.08
-6.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 $1.72
$2.92 $2.92
-41.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.95 $3.95
$3.46 $3.46
14.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.04 $2.04
$1.49 $1.49
36.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 $53.9
$41.72 $41.72
29.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.86 $4.86
$2.73 $2.73
78.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.66 $1.66
-15.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.26 $30.26
$35.30 $35.30
-14.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$0.95 $0.95
-1.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$36.0K $36.0K
-0.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$27.1K $27.1K
-5.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$211 $211
$229 $229
-7.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.3 $70.3
$59.4 $59.4
18.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.8 $70.8
$69.9 $69.9
1.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.96 $27.96
$57.2 $57.2
-51.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.16 $19.16
$16.33 $16.33
17.33%
Cinema Ticket
$14.75 $14.75
$14.28 $14.28
3.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,488 $1,488
$1,506 $1,506
-1.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K $16.9K
$21.5K $21.5K
-21.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.4 $50.4
$52.8 $52.8
-4.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.58 $39.58
$43.82 $43.82
-9.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 $113
$84.8 $84.8
32.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 $107
$103 $103
3.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,801 $1,801
$1,907 $1,907
-5.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 $1,681
$1,274 $1,274
31.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,412 $2,412
$3,664 $3,664
-34.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,456 $2,456
$2,538 $2,538
-3.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,402 $2,402
$7,614 $7,614
-68.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,476 $2,476
$3,157 $3,157
-21.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Springfield, MA
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,787 $3,787
$5,121 $5,121
-26.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.28
6.79
-7.51%

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

Last update for Springfield, MA: 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
Springfield, MA
$1.7K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 24.2% $406
Groceries & Markets
Springfield, MA
$393
Austin, TX
$405 3% $12
Eating Out
Springfield, MA
$370
Austin, TX
$354 4.3% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Springfield, MA
$352
Austin, TX
$358 1.7% $5.9
Clothing & Footwear
Springfield, MA
$139
Austin, TX
$128 8.1% $11
Getting Around
Springfield, MA
$74
Austin, TX
$59 20.6% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Springfield, MA
$57
Austin, TX
$86 49.3% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,801 in Springfield, MA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Springfield, MA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $405 per month, with Springfield, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Springfield, MA
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
05:43 5:43 AM
04:43 4:43 AM
1 h behind Springfield, MA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
116,482
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Springfield, MA Austin, TX 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Springfield, MA
  • 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
Springfield, MA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Springfield, MA or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Springfield, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Springfield, MA or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 35% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Springfield, MA compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,801 in Springfield, MA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Springfield, MA compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $3,066 per month in Springfield, MA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Springfield, MA compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 29% less than in Springfield, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Springfield, MA or in Austin, TX?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX 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: Springfield, MA 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Springfield, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Springfield, MA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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