Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Carlton

For one person, living is cheaper in Carlton: $2,287 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 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
110

Cost of Living Index in Carlton
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Carlton Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Carlton

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,287

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,287 in Carlton.

Austin, TX $2,663
Carlton $2,287

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,321 in Carlton.

Austin, TX $4,133
Carlton $3,321

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,355 in Carlton.

Austin, TX $5,603
Carlton $4,355

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 16% more expensive than in Carlton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Carlton 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$17.71 A$25.48

17.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$68.7 A$98.9

23.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.96 A$14.34

23.69%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.92 A$4.21

92.81%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.63 A$3.78

41.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.13 A$3.06

17.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.76 A$9.73

19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.54 A$9.41

37.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.32 A$1.90

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.05 A$2.95

82.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.32 A$1.90

146.97%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.20 A$4.60

30.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$10.28 A$14.79

25.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.99 A$14.38

41.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$15.28 A$21.98

6.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.32 A$4.78

30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.81 A$4.05

-48.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.20 A$4.60

40.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.48 A$6.44

-3.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.46 A$3.54

4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.22 A$3.19

5.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.13 A$3.07

-16.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.90 A$1.29

146.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$25.25 A$36.33

-60.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$10.62 A$15.28

42.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.74 A$8.26

-49.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.12 A$7.37

-32.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.05 A$4.38

-51.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$80.9 A$116

-48.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.72 A$5.36

-26.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.26 A$1.82

31.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$26.18 A$37.68

34.84%

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

$18.4K A$26.5K

95.79%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$13.8K A$19.9K

95.78%

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

$229 $229

$89.5 A$129

155.77%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$27.31 A$39.31

117.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$45.80 A$65.9

52.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$31.60 A$45.47

81.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$17.32 A$24.92

-5.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$12.96 A$18.64

10.19%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$2,061 A$2,965

-26.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$12.6K A$18.1K

70.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$79.1 A$114

-33.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$49.37 A$71.1

-11.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$70.0 A$101

21.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$134 A$193

-23.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,391 A$2,001

37.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,204 A$1,732

5.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,150 A$3,093

70.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,829 A$2,631

38.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$5,647 A$8,126

34.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$5,209 A$7,496

-39.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$5,717 A$8,227

-10.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.9

15.08%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Carlton: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Carlton

$1.2K 52.6% 5.5% $70

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Carlton

$338 14.8% 16.4% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Carlton

$163 7.1% 54.6% $196

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Carlton

$273 11.9% 23% $81

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Carlton

$150 6.5% 16.9% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Carlton

$58 2.5% 33% $28

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Carlton

$103 4.5% 75.7% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,391 in Carlton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlton pays 12% 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 $69.0 in Carlton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $338 per month, with Carlton cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇦🇺 Carlton

🕒 Local time

15:50 3:50 PM

07:50 7:50 AM

16 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

19,001

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

AUD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Carlton 14,280 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Carlton

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 Carlton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carlton wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Carlton the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Carlton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,391 in Carlton. 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 $2,287 in Carlton – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Carlton runs roughly 94% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,287 in Carlton versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Carlton but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Carlton 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 Carlton 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 Carlton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.