Aisles of deals

Low-price supermarket sets opening date for first Austin-area store

Aldi opens in Pflugerville in November.

Photo courtesy of Aldi

Grab your reusable grocery bags: Low-price grocer Aldi is gearing up to open its first store in the Austin area. German retailer Aldi is set to enter the Austin market November 2 with the debut of a more than 18,000-square-foot grocery store at 1415 FM 685 in Pflugerville.

“Our stores are simple to navigate, so it’s easy for shoppers to get in, get what they need, and continue on with their day knowing they left with a shopping cart full of groceries that fit their lifestyle and save them money,” Karla Waddleton, division president for Aldi, says in a statement.

Compared to existing Aldi locations, the Pflugerville store will offer extra space for produce, dairy, and bakery products. “We are giving our customers what they want, which is more organic produce, antibiotic-free meats, and fresh healthier options across the store, all at unmatched prices up to 50 percent lower than traditional grocery stores,” CEO Jason Hart said in June.

Though the Austin expansion is part of Aldi’s plan to build or renovate hundreds of stores in the U.S. by 2022, the company hasn’t revealed any other plans for expanding in the Austin area.

“We pioneered a grocery model built around value, convenience, quality, and selection, and now Aldi is one of America’s favorite and fastest-growing retailers,” said Hart. “We’re growing at a time when other retailers are struggling.” The grocer currently operates more than 1,600 stores nationwide.

In the Austin area, Aldi will be going up against H-E-B, Target, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart in the bid to woo price-conscious grocery shoppers. The company will also be competing against another German grocer, Lidl, which is building its first Central Texas location in Kyle. The opening date for the Kyle store hasn’t been announced.

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WFH life

Austin plugs in as 2nd cheapest large U.S. city for remote workers

Photo by Lewis Guapo on Unsplash

Working remotely in Austin is far more affordable than many other U.S. cities.

Austin's thriving telework industry is already known for being among the most prominent in the country, and as it turns out, it's one of the most affordable, too. A recent study by online retailer The Perfect Rug has revealed Austin is the No. 2 cheapest U.S. city center for remote work.

The report ranked the top 10 largest U.S. cities based on population data, the number of coworking spaces and cafes per capita, statewide average internet speeds, average apartment rent prices, and more.

Austin falls second to the far west Texas city of El Paso (No. 1), and is followed by Houston in the No. 3 spot.

When it comes to finding the best place to work remotely, Austin has an abundance of options including coffee shops, coworking spaces, and local library branches. According to the report's data, there are about six coworking spaces and 26 cafes per capita in the city, but Austinites know best that there is a much wider variety of places to work from "home" than whatever number a study determines.

The average internet speed in Texas is 425.9 mbps (megabits per second), which is the fourth-highest internet speed out of the six total states (and the District of Columbia) mentioned in the study. Pennsylvania, Washington, and Washington, D.C. all have faster average internet speeds, at 430.8, 451, and 473.8 mpbs, respectively.

The Perfect Rug also calculated the average costs for meals, coffee, and monthly rent in Austin:

$1,467 per month – Average apartment rent cost in central Austin
$21 per hour – Average cost for a desk at a coworking space
$16.99 – Average cost for a meal
$5.36 – Average cost for a coffee

Furthermore, Austin-based remote workers are technically saving on fuel costs compared to those who have to commute into the city daily for their jobs.

A spokesperson for The Perfect Rug said Texas cities like El Paso, Austin, and Houston are far more popular for "budget-conscious" remote workers partially because rent costs are far lower in comparison to many other U.S. cities.

"On the other hand, cities like Washington, D.C., and Seattle, while more expensive, compensate with faster internet speeds and a higher density of workspaces, which can enhance the remote work experience," the spokesperson said. "Finding the right balance between cost and amenities is key for remote workers seeking both productivity and affordability."

Elsewhere in Texas, San Antonio ranked as the fifth most affordable city for teleworkers, followed by Dallas (No. 7).

The top 10 cheapest U.S. cities for remote workers are:

No. 1 – El Paso, Texas
No. 2 – Austin, Texas
No. 3 – Houston, Texas
No. 4 – Seattle, Washington
No. 5 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 6 – Washington, D.C.
No. 7 – Dallas, Texas
No. 8 – Denver, Colorado
No. 9 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 10 – Nashville, Tennessee

austin reports rankings remote work