Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bowral

For one person, living is cheaper in Bowral: $2,454 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Bowral
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,454
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,454 in Bowral.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Bowral $2,454

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,617 in Bowral.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Bowral $3,617

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,779 in Bowral.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Bowral $4,779

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 9% more expensive than in Bowral, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Bowral 82% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$15.56 A$22.29
33.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$89.9 A$129
-5.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$10.40 A$14.90
18.46%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.85 A$4.08
97.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.05 A$2.94
81.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.37 A$1.97
82.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$8.20 A$11.74
-1.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$9.61 A$13.77
-6.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.57 A$2.26
-28.66%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$3.17 A$4.54
18.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.62 A$3.76
24.43%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$5.17 A$7.40
-19.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$12.93 A$18.53
-0.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$9.94 A$14.24
42.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$15.59 A$22.33
4.04%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$3.86 A$5.53
12.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$3.08 A$4.41
-52.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$3.42 A$4.89
31.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$5.07 A$7.27
-14.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.20 A$4.59
-19.38%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.74 A$3.93
-14.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.45 A$3.51
-27.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.55 A$2.22
43.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$45.32 A$64.9
-78.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$13.91 A$19.92
8.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$4.58 A$6.56
-36.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$5.68 A$8.13
-39.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.96 A$4.24
-49.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$79.3 A$114
-47.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$4.06 A$5.81
-32.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.58 A$2.26
5.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$42.58 A$61.0
-17.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.36 A$1.95
-30.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$27.2K A$39.0K
32.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$29.6K A$42.4K
-8.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$181 A$259
26.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$26.33 A$37.71
125.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$55.0 A$78.8
27.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$56.1 A$80.4
2.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$17.39 A$24.92
-6.10%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$15.99 A$22.90
-10.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$2,361 A$3,382
-36.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$20.3K A$29.1K
5.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$75.1 A$108
-29.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$56.5 A$80.9
-22.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$117 A$167
-27.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$132 A$190
-22.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,402 A$2,008
36.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$1,170 A$1,676
8.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$2,170 A$3,109
68.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,827 A$2,617
38.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$5,914 A$8,471
28.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$4,911 A$7,034
-35.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Bowral
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$3,201 A$4,586
59.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
5.95
14.12%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bowral: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Bowral
$1.2K 8.2% $104
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Bowral
$396 2.1% $8.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Bowral
$262 26.9% $96
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Bowral
$264 25.5% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Bowral
$171 33.8% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Bowral
$88 2.7% $2.3
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Bowral
$103 75.7% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,402 in Bowral. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 60% 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 $90.0 in Bowral. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $396, with Bowral cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇦🇺 Bowral
🕒 Local time
16:08 4:08 PM
08:08 8:08 AM
16 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
10,764
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.894 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.698 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.624 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Bowral 13,720 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Bowral

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 Bowral: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Bowral?
Bowral wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bowral the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Bowral?
Average pay runs 60% 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 Bowral?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,402 in Bowral. 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 Bowral?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,454 in Bowral – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Bowral?
A monthly transit pass in Bowral runs roughly 90% 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 $3,000/month in Austin, TX or in Bowral?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bowral 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 Bowral?
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 Bowral?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Bowral 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 Bowral gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% 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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