Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Besancon

For one person, living is cheaper in Besancon: $1,755 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Besancon
🇫🇷 France
$1,755
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,755 in Besancon.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Besancon $1,755

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,536 in Besancon.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Besancon $2,536

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,318 in Besancon.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Besancon $3,318

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 52% more expensive than in Besancon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Besancon 30% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$16.69 €14.88
24.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$55.2 €49.17
53.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$10.94 €9.76
12.61%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.03 €2.70
85.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.36 €2.10
57.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.55 €1.38
61.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$6.58 €5.87
22.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$5.56 €4.95
62.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.28 €1.14
-12.50%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.71 €1.52
119.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.14 €1.91
52.34%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$4.41 €3.93
-5.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$19.97 €17.80
-35.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$10.95 €9.77
29.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$17.89 €15.95
-9.33%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.65 €2.36
63.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.26 €2.01
-35.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.72 €2.43
65.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.46 €2.19
76.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.54 €2.27
1.57%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.42 €2.16
-2.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.43 €1.27
24.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.17 €1.04
89.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$13.78 €12.29
-28.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$9.39 €8.37
60.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$4.85 €4.32
-39.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$3.25 €2.90
6.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.68 €1.50
-11.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$44.17 €39.38
-5.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.04 €2.71
-10.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.12 €1.89
-21.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$30.05 €26.79
17.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$2.13 €1.90
-55.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$34.4K €30.7K
4.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$34.3K €30.6K
-21.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$225 €200
1.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$14.65 €13.06
305.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$34.19 €30.49
104.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$26.44 €23.57
116.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$19.68 €17.54
-17.02%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$11.32 €10.10
26.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$339 €302
344.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$7,309 €6,517
193.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$99.0 €88.3
-46.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$38.58 €34.40
13.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$93.0 €82.9
-8.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$124 €110
-16.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$635 €566
200.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$590 €526
115.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$991 €884
269.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$803 €716
215.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$2,822 €2,516
169.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$2,245 €2,001
40.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Besancon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$2,181 €1,945
134.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.62
87.57%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Besancon: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Besancon
$590 53.7% $684
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Besancon
$356 12% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Besancon
$273 23.7% $85
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Besancon
$262 25.9% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Besancon
$159 24.6% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Besancon
$49 42.8% $37
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Besancon
$65 10% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $635 in Besancon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 135% 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 $55.0 in Besancon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $356 per month, with Besancon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇫🇷 Besancon
🕒 Local time
19:24 7:24 PM
02:24 2:24 AM
7 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
119,198
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Besancon 8,530 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Besancon

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 Besancon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Besancon?
Besancon wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Besancon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Besancon?
Average pay runs 135% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Besancon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $635 in Besancon. 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 Besancon?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,755 in Besancon – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Besancon?
A monthly transit pass in Besancon runs roughly 6% 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 $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Besancon?
At $1,755 in Besancon versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Besancon but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Besancon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Besancon?
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 Besancon?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Besancon 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 Besancon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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