Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wilmington, DE and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $2,849 in Wilmington, DE, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Wilmington, DE outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

138

Cost of Living Index in Wilmington, DE
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Wilmington, DE Living Index
129

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

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Wilmington, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,849

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,849 in Wilmington, DE versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Wilmington, DE $2,849
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,941 in Wilmington, DE versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Wilmington, DE $3,941
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,033 in Wilmington, DE versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Wilmington, DE $5,033
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Wilmington, DE is roughly 6% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wilmington, DE 110% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$20.63 $20.63

-4.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$84.6 $84.6

-11.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$12.07 $12.07

-16.49%

Cappuccino

$4.68 $4.68

$5.48 $5.48

-14.60%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$3.80 $3.80

-40.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.47 $2.47

-45.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 $3.94

$8.05 $8.05

-51.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 $5.88

$8.88 $8.88

-33.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.11 $1.11

4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.72 $3.72

-20.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.37 $3.37

-21.07%

Eggs

$2.98 $2.98

$4.32 $4.32

-31.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 $9.37

$13.13 $13.13

-28.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$14.15 $14.15

-40.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$16.33 $16.33

-8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$4.55 $4.55

2.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.46 $1.46

-13.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.71 $4.71

-5.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$4.15 $4.15

-4.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.58 $2.58

-1.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.35 $2.35

8.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.77 $1.77

20.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.14 $2.14

-51.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$10.10 $10.10

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 $12.75

$15.19 $15.19

-16.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.82 $2.82

-13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.44 $3.44

8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.54 $1.54

4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.8 $58.8

$40.99 $40.99

43.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.80 $2.80

76.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.60 $1.60

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.11 $23.11

$34.34 $34.34

-32.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.94 $0.94

9.57%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$34.0K $34.0K

-21.11%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.21%

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

$270 $270

$223 $223

21.19%

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

$49.59 $49.59

$58.9 $58.9

-15.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 $60.5

$70.6 $70.6

-14.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.09 $33.09

$57.7 $57.7

-42.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.26 $15.26

$16.53 $16.53

-7.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 $12.07

$14.26 $14.26

-15.36%

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

$1,595 $1,595

$1,511 $1,511

5.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.3K $27.3K

$20.9K $20.9K

30.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.36 $37.36

$51.3 $51.3

-27.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.68 $46.68

$44.17 $44.17

5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 $82.5

$87.0 $87.0

-5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 $91.8

$104 $104

-12.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 $1,875

$1,940 $1,940

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$1,316 $1,316

21.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,940 $2,940

$3,664 $3,664

-19.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,344 $2,344

$2,565 $2,565

-8.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,592 $2,592

$7,354 $7,354

-64.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,329 $2,329

$3,129 $3,129

-25.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 $3,947

$5,286 $5,286

-25.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.79

-7.22%

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

Last update for Wilmington, DE: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wilmington, DE

$1.6K 56.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 17.9% $287

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wilmington, DE

$380 13.3%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 7.3% $28

Groceries & Markets

Wilmington, DE

$326 11.4%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 24.6% $80

Eating Out

Wilmington, DE

$291 10.2%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 20.4% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Wilmington, DE

$116 4.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 11% $13

Getting Around

Wilmington, DE

$76 2.7%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 23.6% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Wilmington, DE

$57 2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 50.7% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,875 in Wilmington, DE and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Wilmington, DE vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $406 per month, with Wilmington, DE cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wilmington, DE

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

21:24 9:24 PM

20:24 8:24 PM

1 h behind Wilmington, DE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

72,826

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

Wilmington, DE Austin, TX 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Wilmington, DE
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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Wilmington, DE. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 34% 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: $1,875 in Wilmington, DE 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 $2,849 per month in Wilmington, DE versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 43% less than in Wilmington, DE. 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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Wilmington, DE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.