Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Arendal and in Austin, TX: $2,679 and $2,663 a month, rent and utilities included.

Arendal
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,679
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,679 in Arendal versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Arendal $2,679
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,805 in Arendal versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Arendal $3,805
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,931 in Arendal versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Arendal $4,931
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Arendal is roughly 1% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arendal 98% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.51 NOK 184
$20.77 $20.77
-6.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 NOK 619
$84.6 $84.6
-22.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.52 NOK 146
$12.32 $12.32
25.97%
Cappuccino
$5.33 NOK 50.2
$5.63 $5.63
-5.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 NOK 32.84
$3.72 $3.72
-6.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 NOK 30.62
$2.50 $2.50
30.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.55 NOK 109
$8.05 $8.05
43.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.08 NOK 114
$9.01 $9.01
34.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 NOK 21.78
$1.12 $1.12
106.25%
White Bread (500g)
$3.47 NOK 32.63
$3.75 $3.75
-7.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.78 NOK 35.56
$3.26 $3.26
15.95%
Eggs
$4.93 NOK 46.38
$4.17 $4.17
18.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.81 NOK 139
$12.90 $12.90
14.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.35 NOK 135
$14.16 $14.16
1.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$33.30 NOK 314
$16.22 $16.22
105.30%
Apples (1kg)
$3.49 NOK 32.83
$4.33 $4.33
-19.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.63 NOK 24.75
$1.46 $1.46
80.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.48 NOK 32.74
$4.51 $4.51
-22.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.74 NOK 44.63
$4.34 $4.34
9.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 NOK 23.97
$2.58 $2.58
-1.16%
Onion (1kg)
$3.10 NOK 29.18
$2.35 $2.35
31.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.82 NOK 26.55
$1.78 $1.78
58.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.24 NOK 21.13
$2.22 $2.22
0.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.67 NOK 166
$9.88 $9.88
78.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.46 NOK 136
$15.08 $15.08
-4.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.74 NOK 35.19
$2.92 $2.92
28.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 NOK 41.27
$3.46 $3.46
26.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.69 NOK 34.72
$1.49 $1.49
147.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$90.2 NOK 849
$41.72 $41.72
116.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.11 NOK 57.5
$2.73 $2.73
123.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 NOK 16.03
$1.66 $1.66
2.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$105 NOK 986
$35.30 $35.30
196.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.26 NOK 21.31
$0.95 $0.95
137.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.3K NOK 454.3K
$36.0K $36.0K
33.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.0K NOK 385.9K
$27.1K $27.1K
51.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 NOK 2,372
$229 $229
10.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.68 NOK 326
$59.4 $59.4
-41.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$79.7 NOK 751
$69.9 $69.9
14.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.61 NOK 345
$57.2 $57.2
-36.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.33 $16.33
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.38 NOK 145
$14.28 $14.28
7.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$314 NOK 2,952
$1,506 $1,506
-79.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.8K NOK 129.9K
$21.5K $21.5K
-35.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$125 NOK 1,176
$52.8 $52.8
136.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.59 NOK 410
$43.82 $43.82
-0.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 NOK 1,165
$84.8 $84.8
46.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$204 NOK 1,922
$103 $103
98.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,109 NOK 10.4K
$1,907 $1,907
-41.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 NOK 9,783
$1,274 $1,274
-18.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,556 NOK 14.6K
$3,664 $3,664
-57.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,453 NOK 13.7K
$2,538 $2,538
-42.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,112 NOK 38.7K
$7,614 $7,614
-45.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,134 NOK 29.5K
$3,157 $3,157
-0.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arendal
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,151 NOK 39.1K
$5,121 $5,121
-18.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.68
6.79
-31.08%

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

Last update for Arendal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Arendal
$1K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 22.6% $235
Groceries & Markets
Arendal
$488
Austin, TX
$405 17.1% $83
Eating Out
Arendal
$375
Austin, TX
$354 5.7% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arendal
$366
Austin, TX
$358 2.2% $8.1
Clothing & Footwear
Arendal
$223
Austin, TX
$128 42.7% $95
Getting Around
Arendal
$120
Austin, TX
$59 50.9% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Arendal
$67
Austin, TX
$86 27.4% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,109 in Arendal and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Arendal vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $488 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Arendal
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
21:07 9:07 PM
14:07 2:07 PM
7 h behind Arendal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
46,406
974,447
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Arendal Austin, TX 8,060 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Arendal
  • 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
Arendal vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Arendal and in Austin, TX?
Arendal and Austin, TX differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,679 vs $2,663 including rent). Austin, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 23% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Arendal and in Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,109 in Arendal versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Arendal and Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $314 in Arendal versus $1,506 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Arendal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,679 in Arendal, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Austin, TX but tight or insufficient in Arendal. The gap between the two cities makes Austin, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Arendal and Austin, TX?
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.
Is Arendal or Austin, TX safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Arendal 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.
Where should expats move: Arendal or Austin, TX?
Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Arendal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Arendal vs other spots: cost of living compared

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