Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waterloo, IA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Waterloo, IA: $1,795 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Waterloo, IA
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Waterloo, IA Living Index
130

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

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Waterloo, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,795

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,795 in Waterloo, IA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Waterloo, IA $1,795
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,528 in Waterloo, IA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Waterloo, IA $2,528
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Waterloo, IA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Waterloo, IA $3,261
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Waterloo, IA costs roughly 33% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waterloo, IA 33% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 $16.07

$20.77 $20.77

-22.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 $56.6

$84.6 $84.6

-33.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.13 $9.13

$12.32 $12.32

-25.89%

Cappuccino

$5.83 $5.83

$5.63 $5.63

3.55%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$3.72 $3.72

-26.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.50 $2.50

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.96 $3.96

$8.05 $8.05

-50.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$9.01 $9.01

-9.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.12 $1.12

-11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.75 $3.75

-35.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.26 $3.26

-49.08%

Eggs

$3.64 $3.64

$4.17 $4.17

-12.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 $13.07

$12.90 $12.90

1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 $13.02

$14.16 $14.16

-8.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.68 $17.68

$16.22 $16.22

9.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$4.33 $4.33

9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.46 $1.46

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$4.51 $4.51

-15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.34 $4.34

0.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.58 $2.58

-57.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.35 $2.35

-8.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.78 $1.78

7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.22 $2.22

-28.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.91 $7.91

$9.88 $9.88

-19.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 $13.83

$15.08 $15.08

-8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.92 $2.92

-7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.46 $3.46

-48.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.73 $2.73

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.66 $1.66

16.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.17 $43.17

$35.30 $35.30

22.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.19%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.1K $27.1K

-7.44%

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

$149 $149

$229 $229

-35.03%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$59.4 $59.4

-10.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$69.9 $69.9

-13.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.11 $27.11

$57.2 $57.2

-52.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 $15.12

$14.28 $14.28

5.88%

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

$1,706 $1,706

$1,506 $1,506

13.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$21.5K $21.5K

7.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.78 $19.78

$52.8 $52.8

-62.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.89 $14.89

$43.82 $43.82

-66.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 $60.4

$84.8 $84.8

-28.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 $78.9

$103 $103

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 $860

$1,907 $1,907

-54.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 $740

$1,274 $1,274

-41.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 $1,368

$3,664 $3,664

-62.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 $943

$2,538 $2,538

-62.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 $1,511

$7,614 $7,614

-80.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,473 $1,473

$3,157 $3,157

-53.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,948 $3,948

$5,121 $5,121

-22.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.79

-1.47%

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

Last update for Waterloo, IA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waterloo, IA

$740 41.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 72.1% $534

Groceries & Markets

Waterloo, IA

$362 20.2%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 11.8% $43

Eating Out

Waterloo, IA

$281 15.7%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 25.9% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waterloo, IA

$263 14.6%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 36.4% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Waterloo, IA

$78 4.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 63.4% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Waterloo, IA

$57 3.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 49.6% $28

Getting Around

Waterloo, IA

$14 * 0.8%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 331% $45

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 $860 in Waterloo, IA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 30% 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: $57.0 in Waterloo, IA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $405 per month, with Waterloo, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waterloo, IA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

12:48 12:48 PM

Same time as Waterloo, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,314

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Waterloo, IA Austin, TX 1,440 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Waterloo, IA
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

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

Waterloo, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Waterloo, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $860 in Waterloo, IA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,706 in Waterloo, IA versus $1,506 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Waterloo, IA – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,795 in Waterloo, IA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waterloo, IA but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Waterloo, IA 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 Waterloo, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.