Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Buzau

For one person, living is cheaper in Buzau: $979 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,200 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
47

Cost of Living Index in Buzau
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Buzau Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Buzau

🇷🇴 Romania

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $979 in Buzau.

Austin, TX $2,663
Buzau $979

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,449 in Buzau.

Austin, TX $4,133
Buzau $1,449

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,919 in Buzau.

Austin, TX $5,603
Buzau $1,919

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 172% more expensive than in Buzau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Buzau is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$10.42 RON 49.30

99.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$24.71 RON 117

242.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$6.30 RON 29.79

95.56%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.02 RON 9.58

178.71%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.93 RON 9.12

92.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.50 RON 7.08

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.66 RON 7.85

384.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$1.71 RON 8.10

426.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.76 RON 8.32

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.31 RON 6.21

186.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.45 RON 6.84

124.83%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.10 RON 14.67

34.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$7.50 RON 35.47

72.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$6.62 RON 31.33

113.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$11.10 RON 52.5

46.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$0.95 RON 4.50

355.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.63 RON 7.72

-10.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.11 RON 5.25

306.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.23 RON 5.83

252.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.67 RON 3.18

285.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.78 RON 3.68

201.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.48 RON 2.28

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.66 RON 3.11

236.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$6.24 RON 29.54

58.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$6.43 RON 30.42

134.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.76 RON 3.58

284.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.43 RON 6.77

141.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.66 RON 3.10

125.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$21.60 RON 102

93.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.52 RON 2.47

425.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.49 RON 2.32

238.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$6.19 RON 29.27

470.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.65 RON 7.81

-42.42%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$19.4K RON 91.7K

85.94%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$21.1K RON 100.0K

28.08%

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

$229 $229

$119 RON 563

92.59%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$7.87 RON 37.24

654.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$7.72 RON 36.53

805.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$32.03 RON 152

78.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$17.85 RON 84.5

-8.52%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$6.89 RON 32.60

107.26%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$285 RON 1,348

428.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$6,766 RON 32.0K

217.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$54.5 RON 258

-3.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$57.7 RON 273

-24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$97.5 RON 461

-13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$84.1 RON 398

22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$344 RON 1,629

453.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$292 RON 1,379

337.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$606 RON 2,867

504.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$423 RON 2,002

500.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,475 RON 6,976

416.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,194 RON 5,648

164.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$850 RON 4,021

502.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.97

-2.58%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Buzau: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Buzau

$292 29.8% 77.1% $983

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Buzau

$196 20% 51.6% $209

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Buzau

$134 13.7% 62.5% $224

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Buzau

$152 15.5% 57.1% $202

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Buzau

$132 13.5% 3.3% $4.2

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Buzau

$46 4.7% 46.6% $40

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Buzau

$27 2.8% 53.7% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $344 in Buzau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 502% 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 $25.00 in Buzau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $196 per month, with Buzau cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇷🇴 Buzau

🕒 Local time

18:19 6:19 PM

02:19 2:19 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

115,494

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

RON to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Buzau 9,930 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Buzau

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 Buzau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buzau wins on cost – living expenses run 172% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Buzau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 502% 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 $344 in Buzau. 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 $979 in Buzau – a 172% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Buzau runs roughly 93% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $979 in Buzau versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buzau but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Buzau 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 Buzau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.