Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bloemfontein

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloemfontein: $1,069 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 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
52

Cost of Living Index in Bloemfontein
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Bloemfontein Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Bloemfontein

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,069

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,069 in Bloemfontein.

Austin, TX $2,663
Bloemfontein $1,069

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,687 in Bloemfontein.

Austin, TX $4,133
Bloemfontein $1,687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,305 in Bloemfontein.

Austin, TX $5,603
Bloemfontein $2,305

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 149% more expensive than in Bloemfontein, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Bloemfontein is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$11.91 R 196

74.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$41.16 R 678

105.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$7.41 R 122

66.26%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.08 R 34.20

170.67%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.40 R 23.11

165.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.09 R 17.93

129.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.54 R 41.78

216.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$2.73 R 45.06

230.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.05 R 17.27

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.07 R 17.59

250.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.13 R 35.12

53.05%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.16 R 35.63

93.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$7.53 R 124

71.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$5.07 R 83.5

179.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$7.91 R 130

105.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.89 R 31.11

129.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.57 R 25.84

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.79 R 29.45

151.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.56 R 25.63

178.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.60 R 26.39

61.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.85 R 30.51

27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.12 R 18.45

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.97 R 15.91

128.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.54 R 41.89

288.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$4.91 R 80.9

207.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.81 R 29.81

61.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.39 R 22.90

148.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.93 R 15.35

60.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$76.1 R 1,253

-45.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.07 R 17.56

155.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.40 R 23.12

-32.14%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.4K R 599.9K

-1.01%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$28.5K R 469.8K

-5.06%

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

$229 $229

$77.8 R 1,281

194.45%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$32.29 R 532

83.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$31.69 R 522

120.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$32.34 R 533

76.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.72 R 77.8

202.54%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$200 R 3,296

652.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$60.9 R 1,003

-13.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$43.06 R 709

1.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$135 R 2,220

-37.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$111 R 1,826

-7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$312 R 5,139

511.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$286 R 4,717

344.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$513 R 8,459

613.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$543 R 8,954

367.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$487 R 8,031

1461.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$620 R 10.2K

409.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,287 R 21.2K

297.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

12.13

-44.02%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bloemfontein: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Bloemfontein

$286 26.8% 77.5% $988

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Bloemfontein

$190 17.8% 53% $215

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Bloemfontein

$142 13.3% 60.4% $217

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Bloemfontein

$171 16% 51.8% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Bloemfontein

$157 14.7% 22.9% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Bloemfontein

$42 3.9% 51.3% $44

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Bloemfontein

$81 * 7.6% 37.8% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $312 in Bloemfontein. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 298% 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 $41.00 in Bloemfontein for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $190 per month, with Bloemfontein cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇿🇦 Bloemfontein

🕒 Local time

05:15 5:15 AM

12:15 12:15 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

370,000 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

ZAR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Bloemfontein 14,660 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Bloemfontein

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 Bloemfontein: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bloemfontein wins on cost – living expenses run 149% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bloemfontein the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 298% 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 $312 in Bloemfontein. 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 $1,069 in Bloemfontein – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bloemfontein runs roughly 82% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,069 in Bloemfontein versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bloemfontein but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bloemfontein 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.

Expats usually find Bloemfontein gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.