Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Balga

For one person, living is cheaper in Balga: $2,511 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Austin, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Balga
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Balga Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Balga

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Balga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,511 in Balga.

Austin, TX $2,663
Balga $2,511

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,781 in Balga.

Austin, TX $4,133
Balga $3,781

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $5,052 in Balga.

Austin, TX $5,603
Balga $5,052

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 6% more expensive than in Balga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Balga 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$19.89 A$28.62

4.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$84.9 A$122

-0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.54 A$15.16

16.89%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.47 A$6.43

25.95%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.83 A$4.08

31.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.21 A$3.18

13.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.33 A$11.98

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$8.48 A$12.21

6.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.71 A$2.46

-34.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.14 A$4.52

19.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.97 A$2.83

65.48%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$5.30 A$7.62

-21.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$9.50 A$13.66

35.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.43 A$13.57

50.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.90 A$20.00

16.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.60 A$6.61

-5.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.10 A$4.45

-52.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.42 A$4.92

31.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.99 A$7.18

-13.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.82 A$4.05

-8.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.98 A$2.84

18.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.25 A$3.23

-20.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.32 A$1.90

68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$41.48 A$59.7

-76.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.65 A$18.21

19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.32 A$6.21

-32.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.55 A$5.11

-2.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.62 A$3.77

-43.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$73.4 A$106

-43.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.57 A$5.14

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.43 A$2.06

16.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$41.05 A$59.1

-14.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.39 A$2.00

-31.65%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.0K $36.0K

$27.0K A$38.8K

33.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K $27.1K

$29.2K A$42.0K

-7.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$229 $229

$194 A$279

18.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$32.84 A$47.26

80.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$62.9 A$90.5

11.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$63.7 A$91.7

-10.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$17.91 A$25.77

-8.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$17.18 A$24.72

-16.88%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,506 $1,506

$2,261 A$3,253

-33.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$22.8K A$32.9K

-6.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$76.6 A$110

-31.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$64.9 A$93.4

-32.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$121 A$174

-29.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$165 A$237

-37.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,321 A$1,901

44.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,147 A$1,650

11.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,150 A$3,094

70.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,981 A$2,851

28.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$5,585 A$8,037

36.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$5,491 A$7,902

-42.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,320 A$4,778

54.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.91

14.89%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Balga: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Balga

$1.1K 45.7% 10% $127

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Balga

$366 14.6% 9.5% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Balga

$290 11.5% 19.1% $69

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Balga

$323 12.9% 8.7% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Balga

$192 7.7% 50.1% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Balga

$98 3.9% 14.3% $12

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Balga

$95 3.8% 61.3% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,321 in Balga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $85.0 in Balga. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $366, with Balga cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇦🇺 Balga

🕒 Local time

08:36 8:36 AM

21:36 9:36 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

12,685

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

AUD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Balga 16,820 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Balga

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 Balga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balga wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Balga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 54% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,321 in Balga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,511 in Balga – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Balga runs roughly 76% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,511 in Balga versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Balga but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Balga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Balga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Balga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.