Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Boracay

For one person, living is cheaper in Boracay: $772 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,700 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
37

Cost of Living Index in Boracay
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Boracay Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Boracay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$772

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $772 in Boracay.

Austin, TX $2,663
Boracay $772

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,313 in Boracay.

Austin, TX $4,133
Boracay $1,313

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,854 in Boracay.

Austin, TX $5,603
Boracay $1,854

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 245% more expensive than in Boracay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Boracay is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$5.73 ₱361

262.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$19.15 ₱1,206

341.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$5.94 ₱374

107.41%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.37 ₱149

137.55%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.70 ₱43.78

431.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.23 ₱14.44

986.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.16 ₱73.0

593.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$1.92 ₱121

369.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.95 ₱186

-62.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.98 ₱61.9

282.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$0.89 ₱56.3

266.29%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.93 ₱122

116.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$5.13 ₱323

151.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.78 ₱301

196.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$7.28 ₱459

122.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.51 ₱158

72.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.59 ₱100

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.21 ₱139

104.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.08 ₱67.9

301.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.11 ₱133

22.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.02 ₱127

16.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.99 ₱62.5

79.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.57 ₱35.84

289.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.28 ₱144

333.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$7.76 ₱489

94.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.96 ₱60.5

204.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.75 ₱110

97.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.24 ₱15.09

520.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$11.23 ₱707

271.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.66 ₱41.52

313.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.23 ₱14.18

621.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$1.94 ₱122

1719.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.11 ₱69.7

-14.41%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$23.7K ₱1.5M

52.35%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$22.0K ₱1.4M

22.90%

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

$229 $229

$111 ₱6,979

106.60%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$14.23 ₱896

317.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$33.84 ₱2,131

106.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$29.95 ₱1,886

91.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$5.12 ₱323

218.95%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$5.26 ₱331

171.48%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$136 ₱8,591

1003.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$8,041 ₱506.2K

166.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$36.09 ₱2,272

46.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$19.21 ₱1,209

128.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$75.8 ₱4,773

11.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$59.1 ₱3,723

74.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$268 ₱16.9K

611.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$174 ₱10.9K

632.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$523 ₱32.9K

600.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$614 ₱38.6K

313.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,441 ₱153.7K

211.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$979 ₱61.7K

222.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$229 ₱14.4K

2135.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Boracay: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Boracay

$174 22.5% 86.4% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Boracay

$193 25% 52.2% $211

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Boracay

$159 20.6% 55.6% $199

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Boracay

$105 13.7% 70.2% $248

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Boracay

$86 11.1% 33.1% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Boracay

$40 5.3% 52.8% $45

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Boracay

$14 1.8% 76.2% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $268 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2135% 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 $19.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $193 per month, with Boracay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇭 Boracay

🕒 Local time

18:38 6:38 PM

07:38 7:38 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

12,296

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

PHP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Boracay 13,690 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Boracay

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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boracay wins on cost – living expenses run 245% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Boracay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2135% 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 $268 in Boracay. 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 $772 in Boracay – a 245% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boracay runs roughly 272% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $772 in Boracay versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Boracay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $772 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Boracay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 245% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.