Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Barrie

For one person, living is cheaper in Barrie: $2,516 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
120

Cost of Living Index in Barrie
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Barrie Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Barrie

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,516

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $2,516 in Barrie.

Austin, TX $2,704
Barrie $2,516

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,464 in Barrie.

Austin, TX $4,133
Barrie $3,464

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $4,413 in Barrie.

Austin, TX $5,562
Barrie $4,413

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 7% more expensive than in Barrie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Barrie 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$14.06 CA$20.05

43.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$57.2 CA$81.6

48.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$11.11 CA$15.84

11.16%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.66 CA$5.22

49.45%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$1.90 CA$2.71

101.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.46 CA$2.08

71.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$4.99 CA$7.11

61.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$5.46 CA$7.78

64.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.03 CA$2.90

-44.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.48 CA$3.53

52.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.66 CA$3.79

22.18%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.91 CA$4.15

42.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$9.70 CA$13.82

34.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$14.10 CA$20.10

1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$22.09 CA$31.48

-27.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.04 CA$5.76

8.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.16 CA$1.66

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.02 CA$4.31

50.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.84 CA$5.47

9.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.08 CA$1.54

143.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.34 CA$1.92

76.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.06 CA$2.93

-14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.67 CA$2.38

29.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$11.32 CA$16.13

-13.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$10.07 CA$14.36

46.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.45 CA$3.49

13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.11 CA$3.01

64.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.43 CA$3.46

-38.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$63.9 CA$91.1

-36.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.57 CA$5.08

-25.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.07 CA$1.53

47.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.14 CA$1.63

-13.16%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.9K CA$39.8K

28.21%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$20.4K CA$29.1K

33.00%

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

$219 $219

$230 CA$328

-4.61%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$34.39 CA$49.02

68.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$75.8 CA$108

-9.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$39.44 CA$56.2

46.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$34.99 CA$49.88

-57.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$12.72 CA$18.13

11.08%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$1,382 CA$1,970

9.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$63.6 CA$90.6

-18.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$43.59 CA$62.1

1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$148 CA$211

-42.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$84.0 CA$120

25.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$1,427 CA$2,034

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,218 CA$1,736

4.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$2,051 CA$2,923

78.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$1,786 CA$2,546

41.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$4,955 CA$7,062

53.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$4,122 CA$5,875

-22.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$3,020 CA$4,305

69.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.68

45.09%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Barrie: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Barrie

$1.2K 49.5% 4.3% $54

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Barrie

$362 14.7% 10% $40

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Barrie

$239 9.7% 31.3% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Barrie

$340 13.8% 1.6% $5.6

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Barrie

$153 6.2% 18.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Barrie

$65 2.6% 24.7% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Barrie

$83 3.4% 44.9% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,427 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 69% 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 $57.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $362 per month, with Barrie cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇦 Barrie

🕒 Local time

02:10 2:10 AM

03:10 3:10 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

141,434

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Barrie 2,230 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Barrie

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 Barrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barrie wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Barrie the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 69% 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $1,427 in Barrie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,516 in Barrie – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barrie runs roughly 58% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barrie is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Barrie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.