Austin, MN vs North Platte, NE: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

North Platte, NE has a modeled overall cost index 16.0% lower than Austin, MN.

Austin, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,070 / month
North Platte, NE · modeled 2BR rent: $1,070 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Austin, MN and North Platte, NE using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Austin, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,138/month in North Platte, NE

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $136,345 in North Platte, NE

Regional cost estimates: Austin, MN uses Saint Paul, MN. North Platte, NE uses Lincoln, NE. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 16.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,138

Savings

Annual Impact

$13.7K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Austin, MN

Population:26K

Cost Index:

92.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$181K

North Platte, NE

Population:23K

Cost Index:

77.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$201K

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Austin, MN

The North Star State

26K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 26K residents.

North Platte, NE

The Cornhusker State

23K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Nebraska, this city has a population of 23K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Austin, MN vs North Platte, NE

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Austin, MN	North Platte, NE	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,287/mo	$1,726/mo	↓ $561less	24.5%
Other	$1,621/mo	$1,434/mo	↓ $187less	11.6%
Transportation	$1,297/mo	$1,133/mo	↓ $165less	12.7%
Groceries	$1,030/mo	$935/mo	↓ $94.73less	9.2%
Healthcare	$756/mo	$671/mo	↓ $84.97less	11.2%
All Utilities	$508/mo	$463/mo	↓ $45.57less	9.0%

Housing

↓ 24.5%

Austin, MN

$2,287

North Platte, NE

$1,726

Difference

$561

less

Other

↓ 11.6%

Austin, MN

$1,621

North Platte, NE

$1,434

Difference

$187

less

Transportation

↓ 12.7%

Austin, MN

$1,297

North Platte, NE

$1,133

Difference

$165

less

Groceries

↓ 9.2%

Austin, MN

$1,030

North Platte, NE

$935

Difference

$94.73

less

Healthcare

↓ 11.2%

Austin, MN

$756

North Platte, NE

$671

Difference

$84.97

less

All Utilities

↓ 9.0%

Austin, MN

$508

North Platte, NE

$463

Difference

$45.57

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$740

To$810

↑ $70.00

1 Bed

From$820

To$820

→ $0

2 Bed

From$1,070

To$1,070

→ $0

3 Bed

From$1,380

To$1,280

↓ $100

Austin, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $820–$820/mo

North Platte, NEZIP-level data

1BR range: $820–$820/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Austin, MN

$6,362

Monthly in North Platte, NE

$1,138

Difference

Home Values

Austin

North Platte

$181K

Median Value

$201K

↑ +5.3%

YoY Change

↑ +5.9%

↑ +41.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +36.1%

Homes in North Platte are 11% more expensive than Austin

Calculate payment - Austin Calculate payment - North Platte

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.1K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$91.32

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.7%

Rate difference

Austin, MN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Minnesota State Tax

Effective: 7.0%

$10.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.6%

$47.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,546/month

$102.6K

North Platte, NE

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Nebraska State Tax

Effective: 6.2%

$9.3K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.9%

$46.3K

Take-Home Pay

$8,638/month

$103.7K

Additional Tax Information

Austin, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

North Platte, NE Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Austin

North Platte

36 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

83.7%

95 High

Climate Risk

91 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌪💨

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

38 days

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

38 days

Before moving from Austin, MN to North Platte, NE

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in North Platte, NE for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Austin, MN. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Austin to North Platte moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to North Platte, NE by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Austin, MN vs North Platte, NE

How do the cost estimates for Austin, MN and North Platte, NE compare?

North Platte, NE has a modeled overall cost index 16.0% lower than Austin, MN. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Austin, MN, the model estimates $136,345 in North Platte, NE. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Austin, MN and North Platte, NE?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,070/month in Austin, MN and $1,070/month in North Platte, NE. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Minnesota and Nebraska on TaxTakeHome.com