Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wheaton, IL and Austin, TX

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

126

Cost of Living Index in Wheaton, IL
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Wheaton, IL Living Index
129

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

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Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,571

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Wheaton, IL $2,571
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,945 in Wheaton, IL versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Wheaton, IL $3,945
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,320 in Wheaton, IL versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Wheaton, IL $5,320
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Wheaton, IL costs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 $16.13

$20.63 $20.63

-21.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$84.6 $84.6

-18.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.99 $11.99

$12.07 $12.07

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.48 $5.48

1.46%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.80 $3.80

-18.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.47 $2.47

-5.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$8.05 $8.05

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$8.88 $8.88

-7.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.11 $1.11

-21.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.72 $3.72

-23.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.37 $3.37

-14.54%

Eggs

$3.67 $3.67

$4.32 $4.32

-15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 $9.92

$13.13 $13.13

-24.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$14.15 $14.15

-21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$16.33 $16.33

-8.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$4.55 $4.55

2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.46 $1.46

8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$4.71 $4.71

-37.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$4.15 $4.15

-48.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.58 $2.58

-34.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.35 $2.35

33.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.77 $1.77

6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.14 $2.14

12.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 $8.98

$10.10 $10.10

-11.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$15.19 $15.19

-21.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.82 $2.82

-19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.44 $3.44

-20.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.54 $1.54

226.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

$40.99 $40.99

145.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.80 $2.80

46.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.60 $1.60

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.88 $43.88

$34.34 $34.34

27.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.94 $0.94

9.57%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$34.0K $34.0K

-32.08%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-5.68%

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

$174 $174

$223 $223

-22.08%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$58.9 $58.9

-12.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$70.6 $70.6

-2.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.62 $34.62

$57.7 $57.7

-40.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$14.26 $14.26

-15.29%

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

$1,698 $1,698

$1,511 $1,511

12.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$20.9K $20.9K

12.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$51.3 $51.3

12.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 $34.98

$44.17 $44.17

-20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 $87.2

$87.0 $87.0

0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$104 $104

-2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 $2,011

$1,940 $1,940

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$1,316 $1,316

0.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,753 $2,753

$3,664 $3,664

-24.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 $2,583

$2,565 $2,565

0.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,537 $5,537

$5,286 $5,286

4.73%

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 Wheaton, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wheaton, IL

$1.3K 51.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 0.3% $4.6

Groceries & Markets

Wheaton, IL

$337 13.1%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 20.5% $69

Eating Out

Wheaton, IL

$305 11.9%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 14.7% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wheaton, IL

$294 11.4%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 19.7% $58

Getting Around

Wheaton, IL

$129 5%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 55% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Wheaton, IL

$127 4.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 1.8% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Wheaton, IL

$59 2.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 46.7% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,011 in Wheaton, IL and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wheaton, IL pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Wheaton, IL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $406 per month, with Wheaton, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

21:34 9:34 PM

Same time as Wheaton, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

54,611

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Wheaton, IL Austin, TX 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Wheaton, IL
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

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

Wheaton, IL 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 Wheaton, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Wheaton, IL, 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: $2,011 in Wheaton, IL 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 Wheaton, IL 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 Wheaton, IL runs roughly 145% 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 $2,500. Wheaton, IL 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.

Safety-wise, Wheaton, IL and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Wheaton, IL 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.