Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Daegu

For one person, living is cheaper in Daegu: $1,569 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 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
76

Cost of Living Index in Daegu
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Daegu Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Daegu

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,569

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,569 in Daegu.

Austin, TX $2,663
Daegu $1,569

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,402 in Daegu.

Austin, TX $4,133
Daegu $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,235 in Daegu.

Austin, TX $5,603
Daegu $3,235

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 70% more expensive than in Daegu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Daegu 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$9.29 ₩12.3K

123.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$37.12 ₩49.4K

127.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$5.67 ₩7,536

117.28%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.97 ₩5,284

41.81%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.56 ₩2,075

138.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.90 ₩1,202

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.82 ₩5,082

110.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.42 ₩7,204

66.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.38 ₩3,161

-52.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.49 ₩5,976

-16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.66 ₩3,541

22.56%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.72 ₩3,619

53.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$10.30 ₩13.7K

25.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$7.44 ₩9,888

90.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$20.76 ₩27.6K

-21.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$6.59 ₩8,762

-34.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.69 ₩3,577

-45.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.72 ₩7,599

-21.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.96 ₩7,921

-27.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.65 ₩3,518

-2.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.06 ₩2,735

14.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$4.35 ₩5,789

-59.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.37 ₩1,825

62.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.88 ₩3,832

243.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.91 ₩19.8K

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.14 ₩2,848

36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.49 ₩3,317

38.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.11 ₩1,473

34.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$76.4 ₩101.5K

-45.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.14 ₩4,172

-13.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.61 ₩811

172.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$8.02 ₩10.7K

340.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.33 ₩1,775

-28.57%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$28.5K ₩37.9M

26.45%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$41.5K ₩55.1M

-34.69%

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

$229 $229

$280 ₩371.6K

-18.07%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$50.5 ₩67.1K

17.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$47.09 ₩62.6K

48.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$51.0 ₩67.8K

12.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$11.89 ₩15.8K

37.34%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$11.26 ₩15.0K

26.82%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$531 ₩706.4K

183.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$27.9K ₩37.1M

-23.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$56.3 ₩74.8K

-6.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$50.3 ₩66.9K

-12.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$96.0 ₩127.7K

-11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$164 ₩218.5K

-37.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$408 ₩542.1K

367.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$273 ₩363.6K

365.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,044 ₩1.4M

250.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$607 ₩806.7K

318.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$7,125 ₩9.5M

6.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$5,559 ₩7.4M

-43.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$2,478 ₩3.3M

106.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.07

33.93%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Daegu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Daegu

$273 17.4% 78.5% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Daegu

$414 26.4% 2.3% $9.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Daegu

$377 24% 5.2% $19

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Daegu

$179 11.4% 49.5% $175

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Daegu

$165 10.5% 29% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Daegu

$73 4.7% 14.3% $12

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Daegu

$87 5.5% 48.2% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $408 in Daegu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 107% 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 $37.00 in Daegu. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $414, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇰🇷 Daegu

🕒 Local time

15:30 3:30 PM

05:30 5:30 AM

14 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

2,528,933

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

KRW to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Daegu 11,210 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Daegu

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 Daegu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Daegu wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Daegu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 107% 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 $408 in Daegu. 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 $1,569 in Daegu – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Daegu runs roughly 83% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,569 in Daegu versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Daegu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Daegu 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 Daegu 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 Daegu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.