Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bellinzona

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,509 in Bellinzona, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
171

Cost of Living Index in Bellinzona
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Bellinzona Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Bellinzona

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,509

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $3,509 in Bellinzona.

Austin, TX $2,663
Bellinzona $3,509

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $5,423 in Bellinzona.

Austin, TX $4,133
Bellinzona $5,423

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $7,337 in Bellinzona.

Austin, TX $5,603
Bellinzona $7,337

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 24% less than in Bellinzona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Bellinzona 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$34.40 CHF 28.33

-39.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$120 CHF 98.7

-29.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$17.66 CHF 14.54

-30.24%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.85 CHF 4.00

16.08%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$5.55 CHF 4.57

-32.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$4.42 CHF 3.64

-43.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$9.51 CHF 7.83

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.68 CHF 5.50

34.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.23 CHF 1.83

-49.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.18 CHF 3.44

-10.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.11 CHF 3.38

-20.68%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$7.89 CHF 6.50

-47.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$27.08 CHF 22.30

-52.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$30.85 CHF 25.41

-54.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$41.72 CHF 34.36

-61.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.64 CHF 3.00

18.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.02 CHF 1.66

-27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.70 CHF 2.23

67.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.45 CHF 5.31

-32.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.97 CHF 1.62

30.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.09 CHF 1.72

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.45 CHF 2.02

-27.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.28 CHF 1.06

73.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$10.61 CHF 8.74

-6.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$17.75 CHF 14.62

-15.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.87 CHF 2.36

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.92 CHF 3.22

-11.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.78 CHF 2.29

-46.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$121 CHF 99.7

-65.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$7.24 CHF 5.97

-62.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$5.67 CHF 4.67

-70.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$36.42 CHF 30.00

-3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.29 CHF 1.89

-58.52%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.1K CHF 28.9K

2.56%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$39.1K CHF 32.2K

-30.83%

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

$229 $229

$300 CHF 247

-23.72%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$35.26 CHF 29.04

68.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$62.5 CHF 51.4

11.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$143 CHF 117

-59.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$54.2 CHF 44.66

-69.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$23.18 CHF 19.09

-38.40%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$3,198 CHF 2,634

-52.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$34.8K CHF 28.7K

-38.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$200 CHF 165

-73.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$48.63 CHF 40.05

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$164 CHF 135

-48.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$165 CHF 136

-37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,569 CHF 1,292

21.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,368 CHF 1,127

-6.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,485 CHF 2,047

47.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$2,459 CHF 2,025

3.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$13.2K CHF 10.9K

-42.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$10.3K CHF 8,443

-69.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$6,494 CHF 5,349

-21.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

2.23

204.48%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bellinzona: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Bellinzona

$1.4K 39% 7.4% $94

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Bellinzona

$639 18.2% 57.9% $234

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Bellinzona

$398 11.3% 11.1% $40

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Bellinzona

$487 13.9% 37.7% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Bellinzona

$260 7.4% 103% $132

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Bellinzona

$189 5.4% 120% $103

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Bellinzona

$168 4.8% 186% $109

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,569 in Bellinzona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bellinzona pays 27% 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 $120 in Bellinzona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $639 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇭 Bellinzona

🕒 Local time

02:08 2:08 AM

09:08 9:08 AM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

43,785

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

CHF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Bellinzona 8,780 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Bellinzona

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 Bellinzona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Bellinzona. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Bellinzona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,569 in Bellinzona. 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 $3,509 in Bellinzona – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 190% less than in Bellinzona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Bellinzona 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Bellinzona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.