Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bago

For one person, living is cheaper in Bago: $696 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Bago
🇵🇭 Philippines
$696
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bago

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Bago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $696 in Bago.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Bago $696

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,085 in Bago.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Bago $1,085

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,475 in Bago.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Bago $1,475

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 283% more expensive than in Bago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Bago is 48% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$3.77 ₱237
450.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$15.36 ₱967
450.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$3.13 ₱197
293.61%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.06 ₱130
173.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$0.71 ₱44.84
423.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.31 ₱19.26
706.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$1.06 ₱66.7
659.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$2.10 ₱132
329.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.45 ₱91.5
-22.76%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.05 ₱65.8
257.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$0.89 ₱56.0
266.29%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$1.70 ₱107
145.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$5.64 ₱355
128.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$4.68 ₱294
202.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$7.51 ₱473
115.98%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.68 ₱169
61.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.72 ₱109
-15.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.58 ₱163
74.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$1.29 ₱81.4
236.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.72 ₱109
50.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.86 ₱117
26.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.01 ₱63.3
76.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.50 ₱31.69
344.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$3.30 ₱207
199.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$7.16 ₱451
110.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$0.90 ₱56.4
224.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.87 ₱117
85.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.21 ₱13.43
609.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$10.85 ₱683
284.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$0.66 ₱41.31
313.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$0.23 ₱14.56
621.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$1.93 ₱121
1729.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.30 ₱81.5
-26.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$24.5K ₱1.5M
47.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$18.8K ₱1.2M
44.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$109 ₱6,893
109.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$13.03 ₱821
355.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$26.14 ₱1,646
167.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$29.61 ₱1,864
93.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$5.30 ₱333
208.11%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$4.97 ₱313
187.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$130 ₱8,157
1062.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$8,189 ₱515.6K
162.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$36.58 ₱2,303
44.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$21.81 ₱1,373
100.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$76.6 ₱4,823
10.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$63.2 ₱3,977
63.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$294 ₱18.5K
547.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$147 ₱9,268
765.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$455 ₱28.6K
705.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$347 ₱21.9K
631.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$2,607 ₱164.2K
192.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$876 ₱55.1K
260.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Bago
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
6.79
-

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bago: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Bago
$147 88.4% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Bago
$180 55.5% $224
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Bago
$149 58.5% $210
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Bago
$78 78% $276
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Bago
$89 30.3% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Bago
$40 53.9% $46
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Bago
$14 77% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $294 in Bago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $15.00 in Bago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $180 per month, with Bago cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇵🇭 Bago
🕒 Local time
21:52 9:52 PM
10:52 10:52 AM
13 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
191,210
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Bago 13,740 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Bago

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
Austin, TX vs Bago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Bago?
Bago wins on cost – living expenses run 283% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bago the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Bago?
You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $1,044 in Bago to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Bago?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $294 in Bago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Bago?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $696 in Bago – a 283% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Bago?
A monthly transit pass in Bago runs roughly 285% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Austin, TX or in Bago?
At $696 in Bago versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bago but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Bago?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 283% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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