Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Waterford, MI: $2,403 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

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

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

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Waterford, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,403

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,403 in Waterford, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Waterford, MI $2,403
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,641 in Waterford, MI versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Waterford, MI $3,641
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,879 in Waterford, MI versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Waterford, MI $4,879
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Waterford, MI costs roughly 8% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waterford, MI 77% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 $18.36

$20.35 $20.35

-9.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$84.7 $84.7

-12.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 $9.35

$12.12 $12.12

-22.85%

Cappuccino

$4.59 $4.59

$5.65 $5.65

-18.76%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$3.68 $3.68

-23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.36 $2.36

-29.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$7.87 $7.87

-24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

$8.82 $8.82

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.14 $1.14

-25.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.69 $3.69

-2.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.31 $3.31

-1.81%

Eggs

$2.03 $2.03

$4.15 $4.15

-51.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$12.98 $12.98

-15.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$16.34 $16.34

-10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$4.69 $4.69

4.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.45 $1.45

-26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$5.11 $5.11

8.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.52 $4.52

-0.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.08 $3.08

-29.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.38 $2.38

51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.80 $1.80

23.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.22 $2.22

9.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 $10.32

$9.97 $9.97

3.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$15.05 $15.05

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.91 $2.91

-29.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.33 $3.33

-25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.22 $1.22

64.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$40.53 $40.53

45.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.78 $2.78

65.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.65 $1.65

17.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.80 $31.80

$35.39 $35.39

-10.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.95 $0.95

11.58%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$34.2K $34.2K

-20.28%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.74%

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

$132 $132

$223 $223

-40.69%

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

$49.02 $49.02

$58.5 $58.5

-16.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$71.2 $71.2

1.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 $40.91

$53.0 $53.0

-22.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 $13.49

$14.06 $14.06

-4.05%

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

$893 $893

$1,459 $1,459

-38.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$21.3K $21.3K

-0.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$52.5 $52.5

22.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.2 $77.2

$42.75 $42.75

80.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 $97.1

$86.4 $86.4

12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$104 $104

14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$2,112 $2,112

-17.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 $1,170

$1,230 $1,230

-4.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,452 $2,452

$3,863 $3,863

-36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 $2,092

$2,407 $2,407

-13.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,066 $3,066

$7,426 $7,426

-58.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,352 $2,352

$3,060 $3,060

-23.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

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

Last update for Waterford, MI: October 25, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waterford, MI

$1.2K 48.7%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 5.2% $61

Groceries & Markets

Waterford, MI

$384 16%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 6.8% $26

Eating Out

Waterford, MI

$286 11.9%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 21.6% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waterford, MI

$254 10.6%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 39.1% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Waterford, MI

$161 6.7%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 20.1% $32

Getting Around

Waterford, MI

$81 3.4%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 30.6% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Waterford, MI

$68 2.8%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 19.5% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,738 in Waterford, MI and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in Waterford, MI vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $410 per month, with Waterford, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waterford, MI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

10:10 10:10 AM

09:10 9:10 AM

1 h behind Waterford, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,517

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Waterford, MI Austin, TX 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Waterford, 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

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

Waterford, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Waterford, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $3,605 in Waterford, MI and $3,911 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,738 in Waterford, 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 $2,403 per month in Waterford, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 31% less than in Waterford, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Waterford, MI gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.