Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bega NSW

For one person, living is cheaper in Bega NSW: $2,404 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Bega NSW
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,404
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bega NSW

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,404 in Bega NSW.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Bega NSW $2,404

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,627 in Bega NSW.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Bega NSW $3,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,851 in Bega NSW.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Bega NSW $4,851

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 11% more expensive than in Bega NSW, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Bega NSW 78% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$18.81 A$27.07
10.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$86.5 A$125
-2.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$11.53 A$16.59
6.85%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.89 A$5.59
44.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.53 A$3.64
47.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$2.00 A$2.88
25.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$8.19 A$11.78
-1.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$8.17 A$11.76
10.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.39 A$2.00
-19.42%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.60 A$3.73
44.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.06 A$2.97
58.25%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$5.25 A$7.56
-20.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$8.85 A$12.73
45.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$8.33 A$11.99
69.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$15.95 A$22.95
1.69%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$3.36 A$4.83
28.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$3.15 A$4.53
-53.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$3.37 A$4.85
33.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$4.16 A$5.98
4.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.94 A$4.23
-12.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.28 A$3.28
3.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.14 A$3.09
-16.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.29 A$1.86
72.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$44.84 A$64.5
-77.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$14.90 A$21.45
1.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$5.22 A$7.51
-44.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$5.32 A$7.66
-34.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$3.09 A$4.45
-51.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$91.3 A$131
-54.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.58 A$5.15
-23.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.41 A$2.03
17.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$38.59 A$55.5
-8.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.52 A$2.19
-37.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$24.3K A$34.9K
48.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$28.4K A$40.9K
-4.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$214 A$308
6.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$26.09 A$37.54
127.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$51.9 A$74.8
34.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$48.20 A$69.4
18.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$17.78 A$25.59
-8.16%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$16.11 A$23.18
-11.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$2,107 A$3,031
-28.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$22.3K A$32.0K
-3.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$84.8 A$122
-37.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$58.7 A$84.4
-25.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$107 A$154
-20.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$117 A$168
-11.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,491 A$2,146
27.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$1,085 A$1,561
17.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,936 A$2,786
89.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,891 A$2,721
34.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$6,539 A$9,409
16.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$5,228 A$7,523
-39.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Bega NSW
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
5.84
16.27%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bega NSW: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Bega NSW
$1.1K 14.8% $189
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Bega NSW
$359 11.3% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Bega NSW
$292 18.4% $66
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Bega NSW
$307 13.2% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Bega NSW
$165 29.1% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Bega NSW
$80 6.3% $5.4
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Bega NSW
$114 94.8% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,491 in Bega NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $87.0 in Bega NSW. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $359, with Bega NSW cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇦🇺 Bega NSW
🕒 Local time
16:51 4:51 PM
08:51 8:51 AM
16 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
4,683
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Bega NSW 13,830 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Bega NSW

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 Bega NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Bega NSW?
Bega NSW wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bega NSW the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Bega NSW?
You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $3,605 in Bega NSW 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 Bega NSW?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,491 in Bega NSW. 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 Bega NSW?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,404 in Bega NSW – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Bega NSW?
A monthly transit pass in Bega NSW runs roughly 119% 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 $2,500/month in Austin, TX or in Bega NSW?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bega NSW is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Bega NSW?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Bega NSW?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Bega NSW are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bega NSW gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% 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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