Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stafford, VA and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Stafford, VA and in Austin, TX: $2,568 and $2,607 a month, rent and utilities included.

123

Cost of Living Index in Stafford, VA
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Stafford, VA Living Index
125

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

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Stafford, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,568

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,568 in Stafford, VA versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Stafford, VA $2,568
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,011 in Stafford, VA versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Stafford, VA $4,011
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Stafford, VA versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Stafford, VA $5,454
Austin, TX $5,454

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stafford, VA 89% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 $16.30

$20.35 $20.35

-19.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 $107

$84.7 $84.7

25.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.12 $12.12

-1.16%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$5.65 $5.65

-4.78%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$3.68 $3.68

-14.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.36 $2.36

11.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$7.87 $7.87

-13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$8.82 $8.82

12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.14 $1.14

18.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.69 $3.69

-16.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.19 $7.19

$3.31 $3.31

117.22%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.15 $4.15

21.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.22 $17.22

$12.98 $12.98

32.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$13.86 $13.86

-19.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 $18.41

$16.34 $16.34

12.67%

Apples (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$4.69 $4.69

50.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.45 $1.45

57.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.52 $4.52

31.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.08 $3.08

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.38 $2.38

56.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.80 $1.80

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.22 $2.22

24.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 $14.05

$9.97 $9.97

40.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 $16.11

$15.05 $15.05

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.91 $2.91

14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.33 $3.33

69.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.78 $2.78

45.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.65 $1.65

-1.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.50 $25.50

$35.39 $35.39

-27.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.95 $0.95

12.63%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$34.2K $34.2K

0.89%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.75%

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

$137 $137

$223 $223

-38.40%

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

$81.7 $81.7

$58.5 $58.5

39.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.3 $79.3

$71.2 $71.2

11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$14.06 $14.06

26.96%

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

$2,906 $2,906

$1,459 $1,459

99.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.8K $40.8K

$21.3K $21.3K

91.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 $72.2

$52.5 $52.5

37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 $44.78

$42.75 $42.75

4.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$86.4 $86.4

22.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$104 $104

20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 $1,767

$2,112 $2,112

-16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$1,230 $1,230

4.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 $2,630

$3,863 $3,863

-31.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$2,407 $2,407

-0.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,271 $3,271

$3,060 $3,060

6.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,504 $7,504

$5,179 $5,179

44.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

-12.02%

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

Last update for Stafford, VA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Stafford, VA

$1.3K 50%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 4.1% $53

Groceries & Markets

Stafford, VA

$475 18.5%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 13.6% $65

Eating Out

Stafford, VA

$308 12%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 13.1% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stafford, VA

$298 11.6%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 18.2% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Stafford, VA

$157 6.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 18.1% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Stafford, VA

$36 * 1.4%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 127% $45

Getting Around

Stafford, VA

$12 * 0.5%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 364% $44

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 $1,767 in Stafford, VA and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stafford, VA pays 45% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $107 in Stafford, VA vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $475 vs $410 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Stafford, VA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

18:28 6:28 PM

17:28 5:28 PM

1 h behind Stafford, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,693

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Stafford, VA Austin, TX 2,070 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Stafford, VA
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

Stafford, VA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 45% higher in Stafford, VA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,767 in Stafford, VA versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Austin, TX pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85 versus $107 in Stafford, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Stafford, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.