Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Brugge Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Brugge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,659 in Austin, TX versus $2,155 in Brugge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,101 in Austin, TX versus $3,192 in Brugge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,542 in Austin, TX versus $4,228 in Brugge.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 23% more expensive than Brugge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 98% above, Brugge 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$25.51 €21.95

-23.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$105 €90.4

-28.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$11.67 €10.04

-15.00%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$4.53 €3.90

25.17%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$3.39 €2.91

-18.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.48 €3.00

-37.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$6.82 €5.87

-14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$5.30 €4.56

46.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.50 €1.29

-27.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.21 €1.90

54.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.42 €1.22

141.55%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$3.29 €2.83

33.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$13.14 €11.30

-9.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$11.57 €9.95

-7.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 $14.29

$23.31 €20.05

-38.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.06 €1.77

134.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.97 €1.69

-21.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.05 €1.76

117.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.89 €2.48

35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.81 €1.56

51.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$0.87 €0.75

214.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.66 €1.43

22.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.10 €0.94

104.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 $8.93

$12.28 €10.56

-27.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$9.47 €8.15

56.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.36 €1.17

72.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.83 €1.57

95.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.13 €2.69

-53.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

$57.1 €49.14

-24.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.49 €3.00

22.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.54 €2.19

-27.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.54 $35.54

$38.32 €32.96

-7.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.89 €1.63

-61.90%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.4K €21.8K

1.39%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$27.8K €24.0K

-6.07%

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

$174 $174

$246 €211

-29.37%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$34.44 €29.63

74.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 $66.3

$63.0 €54.2

5.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$40.74 €35.04

54.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

$12.43 €10.69

-20.92%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$16.33 €14.05

-6.67%

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

$1,387 $1,387

$411 €353

237.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$6,535 €5,622

239.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$90.1 €77.5

-37.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 $45.34

$37.68 €32.42

20.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$103 €88.3

-15.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$158 €136

-24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,247 $2,247

$849 €731

164.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$774 €666

84.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,778 $3,778

$1,269 €1,092

197.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,641 $2,641

$1,086 €934

143.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

$3,103 €2,669

127.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,162 $3,162

$2,465 €2,120

28.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,108 $5,108

$2,623 €2,256

94.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

61.25%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brugge: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,247 in Austin, TX and $849 in Brugge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 95% 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: $75.0 in Austin, TX vs $105 in Brugge. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $324, with Brugge cheaper for home cooking.

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 Brugge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brugge wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brugge the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Austin, TX pays 95% more on average, 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: $2,247 in Austin, TX versus $849 in Brugge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,659 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,155 in Brugge – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brugge runs roughly 33% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,155 in Brugge versus $2,659 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Brugge but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Brugge 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Brugge 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 Brugge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.