Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Springfield, MO: $2,216 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Springfield, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,216
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,216 in Springfield, MO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

  • Springfield, MO $2,216
  • Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,256 in Springfield, MO versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

  • Springfield, MO $3,256
  • Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,296 in Springfield, MO versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

  • Springfield, MO $4,296
  • Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Springfield, MO costs roughly 18% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Springfield, MO 64% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.93 $27.93
$20.63 $20.63
35.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.6 $59.6
$84.6 $84.6
-29.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.17 $11.17
$12.07 $12.07
-7.46%
Cappuccino
$4.89 $4.89
$5.48 $5.48
-10.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$3.80 $3.80
-42.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$2.47 $2.47
-11.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.62 $4.62
$8.05 $8.05
-42.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.38 $6.38
$8.88 $8.88
-28.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.11 $1.11
2.70%
White Bread (500g)
$3.30 $3.30
$3.72 $3.72
-11.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.10 $2.10
$3.37 $3.37
-37.69%
Eggs
$3.79 $3.79
$4.32 $4.32
-12.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.36 $11.36
$13.13 $13.13
-13.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.75 $8.75
$14.15 $14.15
-38.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.29 $15.29
$16.33 $16.33
-6.37%
Apples (1kg)
$4.50 $4.50
$4.55 $4.55
-1.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.46 $1.46
-25.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.09 $3.09
$4.71 $4.71
-34.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.28 $4.28
$4.15 $4.15
3.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.65 $1.65
$2.58 $2.58
-36.05%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.35 $2.35
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.81 $1.81
$1.77 $1.77
2.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.14 $2.14
-7.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.13 $8.13
$10.10 $10.10
-19.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.74 $13.74
$15.19 $15.19
-9.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 $1.80
$2.82 $2.82
-36.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49 $4.49
$3.44 $3.44
30.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.54 $1.54
-16.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.72 $44.72
$40.99 $40.99
9.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.95 $2.95
$2.80 $2.80
5.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.60 $1.60
-8.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.69 $36.69
$34.34 $34.34
6.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$0.94 $0.94
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K $28.4K
$34.0K $34.0K
-16.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K $26.3K
$26.8K $26.8K
-1.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$272 $272
$223 $223
22.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9 $58.9
$58.9 $58.9
0.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.7 $72.7
$70.6 $70.6
3.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.5 $57.5
$57.7 $57.7
-0.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.36 $34.36
$16.53 $16.53
107.86%
Cinema Ticket
$12.77 $12.77
$14.26 $14.26
-10.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$759 $759
$1,511 $1,511
-49.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$20.9K $20.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.1 $72.1
$51.3 $51.3
40.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.38 $36.38
$44.17 $44.17
-17.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.8 $79.8
$87.0 $87.0
-8.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 $127
$104 $104
21.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$996 $996
$1,940 $1,940
-48.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$817 $817
$1,316 $1,316
-37.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,706 $1,706
$3,664 $3,664
-53.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,351 $1,351
$2,565 $2,565
-47.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,830 $1,830
$7,354 $7,354
-75.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,806 $1,806
$3,129 $3,129
-42.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Springfield, MO
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,009 $3,009
$5,286 $5,286
-43.09%
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 Springfield, MO: October 20, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Springfield, MO
$817
Austin, TX
$1.3K 61.1% $499
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Springfield, MO
$404
Austin, TX
$352 12.8% $52
Eating Out
Springfield, MO
$369
Austin, TX
$350 5.1% $19
Groceries & Markets
Springfield, MO
$340
Austin, TX
$406 19.2% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Springfield, MO
$142
Austin, TX
$129 9% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Springfield, MO
$83
Austin, TX
$86 3.8% $3.1
Getting Around
Springfield, MO
$60
Austin, TX
$58 3.6% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $996 in Springfield, MO and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 76% 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: $60.0 in Springfield, MO vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $406 per month, with Springfield, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Springfield, MO
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
06:16 6:16 AM
06:16 6:16 AM
Same time as Springfield, MO
🌤 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Springfield, MO Austin, TX 870 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Springfield, MO
  • 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, MO vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Springfield, MO or Austin, TX?
Springfield, MO wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Springfield, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Springfield, MO or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 76% 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, MO compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $996 in Springfield, MO versus $1,940 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, MO compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $2,216 per month in Springfield, MO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Springfield, MO compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Springfield, MO runs roughly 9% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Springfield, MO or in Austin, TX?
At $2,216 in Springfield, MO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Springfield, MO but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Springfield, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Springfield, MO 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 Springfield, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Springfield, MO vs other spots: cost of living compared

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