Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ballarat

For one person, living is cheaper in Ballarat: $1,902 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in Ballarat
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Ballarat Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Ballarat

🇦🇺 Australia

$1,902

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,902 in Ballarat.

Austin, TX $2,663
Ballarat $1,902

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,035 in Ballarat.

Austin, TX $4,133
Ballarat $3,035

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,168 in Ballarat.

Austin, TX $5,603
Ballarat $4,168

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 40% more expensive than in Ballarat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Ballarat 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$17.70 A$25.47

17.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$69.9 A$101

21.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.27 A$14.78

19.96%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.79 A$5.45

48.55%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.95 A$4.24

26.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.89 A$2.72

32.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.06 A$8.72

32.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.09 A$8.77

47.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.57 A$2.27

-28.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.65 A$3.82

41.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.32 A$3.35

40.52%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.09 A$5.88

1.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$10.56 A$15.20

22.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.96 A$14.33

42.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$14.97 A$21.55

8.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.51 A$5.04

23.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.02 A$4.34

-51.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.11 A$4.48

45.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.68 A$6.73

-7.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.07 A$4.42

-15.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.55 A$3.67

-7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.35 A$3.38

-24.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.48 A$2.14

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$34.39 A$49.49

-71.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.66 A$18.21

19.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.31 A$3.33

26.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.11 A$4.48

11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.76 A$3.97

-46.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$69.9 A$101

-40.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.53 A$3.65

7.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.34 A$1.93

23.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$26.64 A$38.33

32.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.18 A$1.70

-19.49%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$28.4K A$40.9K

26.77%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.0K A$37.4K

4.15%

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

$229 $229

$206 A$296

11.39%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$27.76 A$39.95

113.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$57.4 A$82.6

21.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$31.36 A$45.13

82.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$11.18 A$16.09

46.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$15.38 A$22.14

-7.15%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$2,144 A$3,085

-29.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$30.2K A$43.4K

-28.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$68.7 A$98.8

-23.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$50.1 A$72.2

-12.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$99.6 A$143

-14.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$134 A$193

-23.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$923 A$1,329

106.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$671 A$965

89.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,288 A$1,854

184.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,454 A$2,092

74.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$4,622 A$6,651

64.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$3,449 A$4,963

-8.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,136 A$4,512

63.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.55

22.34%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ballarat: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Ballarat

$671 35.3% 47.3% $603

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Ballarat

$350 18.4% 13.4% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Ballarat

$291 15.3% 18.9% $68

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Ballarat

$280 14.7% 21% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Ballarat

$158 8.3% 23.8% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Ballarat

$62 3.3% 27.6% $24

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Ballarat

$90 4.7% 53.6% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $923 in Ballarat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 63% 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 $70.0 in Ballarat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $350 per month, with Ballarat cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇦🇺 Ballarat

🕒 Local time

14:04 2:04 PM

06:04 6:04 AM

16 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

105,348

💱 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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Austin, TX Ballarat 14,370 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Ballarat

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 Ballarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballarat wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ballarat the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 63% 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 $923 in Ballarat. 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 $1,902 in Ballarat – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ballarat runs roughly 67% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,902 in Ballarat versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ballarat but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ballarat 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 Ballarat 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 Ballarat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.