Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waco, TX and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Waco, TX: $2,440 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index
129

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

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Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,440

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,440 in Waco, TX versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Waco, TX $2,440
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,077 in Waco, TX versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Waco, TX $3,077
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,714 in Waco, TX versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Waco, TX $3,714
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Waco, TX costs roughly 10% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waco, TX 80% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.96 $14.96

$20.63 $20.63

-27.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 $60.3

$84.6 $84.6

-28.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$12.07 $12.07

-0.17%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$5.48 $5.48

0.91%

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

$1.79 $1.79

$3.80 $3.80

-52.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.47 $2.47

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$8.05 $8.05

-36.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 $5.56

$8.88 $8.88

-37.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.11 $1.11

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.72 $3.72

-15.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.37 $3.37

-41.25%

Eggs

$2.82 $2.82

$4.32 $4.32

-34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 $11.87

$13.13 $13.13

-9.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 $9.62

$14.15 $14.15

-32.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 $11.82

$16.33 $16.33

-27.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$4.55 $4.55

-17.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.46 $1.46

-21.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$4.71 $4.71

-18.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$4.15 $4.15

-13.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.58 $2.58

-10.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.35 $2.35

28.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.77 $1.77

1.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.14 $2.14

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$10.10 $10.10

-2.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 $13.57

$15.19 $15.19

-10.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.82 $2.82

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.44 $3.44

8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.45 $39.45

$40.99 $40.99

-3.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 $10.05

$2.80 $2.80

258.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.60 $1.60

18.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.8 $59.8

$34.34 $34.34

74.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.94 $0.94

-8.51%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$34.0K $34.0K

-18.94%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.79%

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

$176 $176

$223 $223

-21.11%

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

$39.52 $39.52

$58.9 $58.9

-32.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 $55.2

$70.6 $70.6

-21.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.84 $27.84

$57.7 $57.7

-51.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 $9.22

$14.26 $14.26

-35.34%

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

$769 $769

$1,511 $1,511

-49.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$20.9K $20.9K

-13.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.31 $48.31

$51.3 $51.3

-5.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 $38.78

$44.17 $44.17

-12.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 $82.5

$87.0 $87.0

-5.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 $94.0

$104 $104

-9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 $1,223

$1,940 $1,940

-36.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 $1,355

$1,316 $1,316

2.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 $1,595

$3,664 $3,664

-56.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 $1,352

$2,565 $2,565

-47.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 $1,995

$7,354 $7,354

-72.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 $1,925

$3,129 $3,129

-38.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,284 $3,284

$5,286 $5,286

-37.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.79

-4.42%

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

Last update for Waco, TX: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waco, TX

$1.4K 55.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 2.9% $39

Groceries & Markets

Waco, TX

$312 12.8%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 30.1% $94

Eating Out

Waco, TX

$272 11.2%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 28.7% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waco, TX

$270 11.1%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 30.2% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Waco, TX

$119 4.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 8.8% $10

Getting Around

Waco, TX

$65 2.7%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 11.1% $7.2

Sport & Entertainment

Waco, TX

$46 1.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 86.3% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,223 in Waco, TX and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 61% 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 Waco, TX vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $406 per month, with Waco, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

21:45 9:45 PM

Same time as Waco, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

138,486

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Waco, TX Austin, TX 150 km

From you

Waco, TX
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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

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

Waco, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Waco, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 61% 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: $1,223 in Waco, TX 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 $2,440 per month in Waco, TX versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Waco, TX runs roughly 4% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,440 in Waco, TX versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waco, TX but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Waco, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Waco, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.