Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Burnaby

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Burnaby: $2,663 and $2,738 a month, rent and utilities included.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Burnaby
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Burnaby Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Burnaby

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,738 in Burnaby.

Austin, TX $2,663
Burnaby $2,738

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,928 in Burnaby.

Austin, TX $4,133
Burnaby $3,928

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $5,117 in Burnaby.

Austin, TX $5,603
Burnaby $5,117

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 3% less than in Burnaby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Burnaby 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$21.18 CA$29.94

-1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$83.7 CA$118

1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$8.94 CA$12.64

37.81%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.66 CA$6.59

20.82%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.30 CA$3.26

61.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.68 CA$2.38

48.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.45 CA$11.95

-4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.81 CA$8.21

55.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.30 CA$3.25

-51.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.71 CA$3.83

38.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.53 CA$4.99

-7.65%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.08 CA$4.36

35.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$13.50 CA$19.08

-4.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$13.49 CA$19.08

4.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$25.16 CA$35.57

-35.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.46 CA$6.30

-2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.30 CA$1.84

12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.52 CA$6.38

-0.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.63 CA$6.54

-6.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.81 CA$3.97

-8.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.47 CA$4.90

-32.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.68 CA$3.79

-33.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.11 CA$2.99

5.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$13.99 CA$19.78

-29.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.46 CA$19.03

12.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.08 CA$2.94

40.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.28 CA$3.22

51.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.32 CA$3.28

-35.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$79.5 CA$112

-47.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.87 CA$4.05

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.50 CA$2.13

10.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$26.37 CA$37.27

33.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.30 CA$1.84

-26.92%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$27.6K CA$39.0K

30.67%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$18.7K CA$26.4K

45.07%

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

$229 $229

$120 CA$170

90.22%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$43.55 CA$61.6

36.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$53.1 CA$75.1

31.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$29.72 CA$42.01

92.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$10.33 CA$14.61

58.08%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$13.91 CA$19.67

2.66%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$634 CA$897

137.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$51.7 CA$73.1

2.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$51.6 CA$73.0

-15.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$102 CA$144

-16.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$77.4 CA$109

33.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,628 CA$2,302

17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,491 CA$2,108

-14.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,454 CA$3,469

49.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$2,187 CA$3,092

16.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$6,588 CA$9,313

15.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$5,530 CA$7,817

-42.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,144 CA$4,445

62.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.76

42.65%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Burnaby: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Burnaby

$1.5K 54.4% 17% $217

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Burnaby

$425 15.5% 4.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Burnaby

$217 7.9% 39.4% $141

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Burnaby

$322 11.8% 9% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Burnaby

$127 4.6% 0.7% $0.9

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Burnaby

$58 2.1% 32.9% $28

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Burnaby

$99 3.6% 69% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,628 in Burnaby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $84.0 in Burnaby. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $425, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇦 Burnaby

🕒 Local time

16:47 4:47 PM

14:47 2:47 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

249,125

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Burnaby 2,990 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Burnaby

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 Burnaby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Burnaby. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 63% 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 $1,628 in Burnaby. 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 $2,738 in Burnaby – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 91% less than in Burnaby. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.