Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, MI and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Washington, MI and in Austin, TX: $2,708 and $2,607 a month, rent and utilities included.

126

Cost of Living Index in Washington, MI
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Washington, MI Living Index
125

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

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Washington, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,708

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,708 in Washington, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Washington, MI $2,708
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,772 in Washington, MI versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Washington, MI $3,772
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,836 in Washington, MI versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Washington, MI $4,836
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Washington, MI is roughly 4% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Washington, MI 99% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.16 $18.16

$20.35 $20.35

-10.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.92 $44.92

$84.7 $84.7

-46.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 $8.94

$12.12 $12.12

-26.24%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$5.65 $5.65

1.24%

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

$2.06 $2.06

$3.68 $3.68

-44.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.36 $2.36

-13.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$7.87 $7.87

-25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$8.82 $8.82

-11.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.14 $1.14

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.69 $3.69

-9.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.31 $3.31

35.95%

Eggs

$1.47 $1.47

$4.15 $4.15

-64.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$12.98 $12.98

3.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.12 $12.12

$13.86 $13.86

-12.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.67 $19.67

$16.34 $16.34

20.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.69 $4.69

10.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.45 $1.45

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$5.11 $5.11

-19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$4.52 $4.52

-15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.08 $3.08

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.38 $2.38

40.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.80 $1.80

20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.22 $2.22

-7.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$15.05 $15.05

1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.91 $2.91

-13.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.33 $3.33

7.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.22 $1.22

51.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.2 $58.2

$40.53 $40.53

43.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.78 $2.78

-3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.65 $1.65

-8.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.36 $25.36

$35.39 $35.39

-28.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.95 $0.95

11.58%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$34.2K $34.2K

3.70%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.13%

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

$220 $220

$223 $223

-1.48%

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

$64.6 $64.6

$58.5 $58.5

10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$71.2 $71.2

1.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.67 $39.67

$53.0 $53.0

-25.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 $9.84

$14.06 $14.06

-30.01%

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

$1,027 $1,027

$1,459 $1,459

-29.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$21.3K $21.3K

-10.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 $62.6

$52.5 $52.5

19.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 $39.83

$42.75 $42.75

-6.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$86.4 $86.4

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$104 $104

12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 $1,624

$2,112 $2,112

-23.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$1,230 $1,230

11.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,327 $2,327

$3,863 $3,863

-39.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,091 $2,091

$2,407 $2,407

-13.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,580 $2,580

$7,426 $7,426

-65.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 $2,469

$3,060 $3,060

-19.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,086 $6,086

$5,179 $5,179

17.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.82

-3.37%

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

Last update for Washington, MI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Washington, MI

$1.4K 50.9%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 10.7% $147

Groceries & Markets

Washington, MI

$394 14.6%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 4% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Washington, MI

$356 13.2%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 1% $3.6

Eating Out

Washington, MI

$302 11.2%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 15.3% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Washington, MI

$143 5.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 10.3% $15

Getting Around

Washington, MI

$76 2.8%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 25.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Washington, MI

$59 2.2%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 36.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,624 in Washington, MI and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, MI pays 18% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $45 in Washington, MI vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $410 per month, with Washington, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Washington, MI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:59 1:59 PM

12:59 12:59 PM

1 h behind Washington, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

672,228

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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Between locations

Washington, MI Austin, TX 1,900 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Washington, MI
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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Washington, MI. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Washington, MI, 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: $1,624 in Washington, MI versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,708 per month in Washington, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 30% less than in Washington, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

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.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, Washington, MI on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.