Austin, MN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Austin, MN Summary

Cost of living in Austin research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Austin is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Minnesota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Austin is 92, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Austin is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Austin ranks as the #13 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • Austin ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Austin is $186,340.

  • The median income in Austin is $66,488.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
92
Austin's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Austin, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Austin has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Austin has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Minnesota's index of 97.

The standard of living in Austin ranks as #13 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Austin ranks as the #135 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Austin, check out:

13 out of 148
In Minnesota
1,501 out of 6,489
In America

Austin Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Austin. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Austin is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Austin is 96.

  • The Health index in Austin is 101.

  • The Housing index in Austin is 69.

  • The Transportation index in Austin is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Austin is 102.

Living Expense Austin Minnesota National Average
Overall 92 97 100
Services 100 101 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 101 110 100
Housing 69 100 100
Transportation 98 95 100
Utilities 102 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
Austin Cost of Living Vs. MN

Austin, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Minnesota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Austin is $186,340.

  • The Median Rent in Austin is $860.

  • The Median Income in Austin is $66,488.

  • The Home Value To Income in Austin is 2.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Austin is 0.16x.

Statistic Austin Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $186,340 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $860 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $66,488 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.8x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.17x 0.21x
$186,340
Median Home Value
$860
Median Rent
$66,488
Median Income

Austin, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Austin Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Austin Minnesota
Shampoo $1.24 $1.28
Movie $10.32 $12.13
Bowling $10.28 $18
Haircut $32.91 $24.26
Beauty Salon $35.27 $45.56

Detailed Austin Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Austin Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.27 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.56 $4.67
Potatoes $5.01 $4.93
Pizza $11.94 $12.09
Beer $9.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.74 $3.7

Detailed Austin Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Austin Minnesota
Optometrist $87.93 $125.68
Doctor $153.18 $135.78
Dentist $105.03 $113.29

Detailed Austin Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Austin Minnesota
Gasoline $3.39 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.83 $59.92

Detailed Austin Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Austin Minnesota
All Electricity $209.45 $193.99
Phone $187.72 $192.25

Austin SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
8.5
Safety
6
Amenities
9
Education
6
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Austin

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Austin. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Rochester, MN has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Austin.

  • Owatonna, MN has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Austin.

  • Faribault, MN has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Austin.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Austin
Rochester, MN 121,638 104 1.1x
Owatonna, MN 26,462 96 1.0x
Faribault, MN 24,458 96 1.0x
Albert Lea, MN 18,379 86 0.9x
Waseca, MN 9,209 89 1.0x
Clear Lake, IA 7,603 98 1.1x
Kasson, MN 6,964 95 1.0x
Stewartville, MN 6,754 100 1.1x

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