Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Trenton, NJ and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Trenton, NJ and in Austin, TX: $2,571 and $2,698 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Trenton, NJ
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Trenton, NJ Living Index
129

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

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Trenton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,571

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,571 in Trenton, NJ versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Trenton, NJ $2,571
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,157 in Trenton, NJ versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Trenton, NJ $4,157
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,742 in Trenton, NJ versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Trenton, NJ $5,742
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Trenton, NJ costs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trenton, NJ 90% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 $18.04

$20.63 $20.63

-12.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 $64.2

$84.6 $84.6

-24.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$12.07 $12.07

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$5.48 $5.48

-9.85%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$3.80 $3.80

-33.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.47 $2.47

-13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$8.05 $8.05

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.88 $8.88

-11.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.11 $1.11

8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.72 $3.72

4.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.37 $3.37

-46.88%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$4.32 $4.32

10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 $12.17

$13.13 $13.13

-7.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.19 $10.19

$14.15 $14.15

-27.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$16.33 $16.33

-31.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$4.55 $4.55

-8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.46 $1.46

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.71 $4.71

-28.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.15 $4.15

4.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.58 $2.58

-21.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.35 $2.35

39.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.14 $2.14

-5.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.85 $14.85

$10.10 $10.10

47.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$15.19 $15.19

-48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.82 $2.82

-6.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.44 $3.44

-3.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.54 $1.54

20.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 $56.6

$40.99 $40.99

38.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.80 $2.80

9.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.60 $1.60

33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.04 $42.04

$34.34 $34.34

22.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.94 $0.94

5.32%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$34.0K $34.0K

-9.72%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-4.35%

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

$140 $140

$223 $223

-37.00%

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

$61.2 $61.2

$58.9 $58.9

3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 $61.0

$70.6 $70.6

-13.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.03 $30.03

$57.7 $57.7

-47.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$14.26 $14.26

-14.31%

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

$2,653 $2,653

$1,511 $1,511

75.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K $34.6K

$20.9K $20.9K

65.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 $62.0

$51.3 $51.3

20.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$44.17 $44.17

14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 $88.9

$87.0 $87.0

2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$104 $104

15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,736 $1,736

$1,940 $1,940

-10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 $1,376

$1,316 $1,316

4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,395 $2,395

$3,664 $3,664

-34.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,085 $3,085

$2,565 $2,565

20.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,108 $3,108

$7,354 $7,354

-57.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,107 $3,107

$3,129 $3,129

-0.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,376 $3,376

$5,286 $5,286

-36.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.79

-1.77%

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

Last update for Trenton, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Trenton, NJ

$1.4K 53.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 4.4% $60

Groceries & Markets

Trenton, NJ

$348 13.5%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 16.7% $58

Eating Out

Trenton, NJ

$308 12%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 13.8% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Trenton, NJ

$263 10.2%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 34.1% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Trenton, NJ

$145 5.6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 10.9% $16

Getting Around

Trenton, NJ

$78 3%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 25.5% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Trenton, NJ

$54 2.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 58.3% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,736 in Trenton, NJ and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 57% 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: $64.0 in Trenton, NJ vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $406 per month, with Trenton, NJ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Trenton, NJ

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

06:52 6:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

1 h behind Trenton, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

83,923

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Trenton, NJ Austin, TX 2,350 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Trenton, NJ
Austin, TX

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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

Trenton, NJ vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trenton, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Trenton, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,736 in Trenton, NJ versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,571 per month in Trenton, NJ versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Trenton, NJ runs roughly 38% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Trenton, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Trenton, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.