Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $884 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$884

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $884 in David.

Austin, TX $2,689
David $884

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $948 in David.

Austin, TX $4,112
David $948

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $1,011 in David.

Austin, TX $5,534
David $1,011

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 204% more expensive than in David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, David is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$5.38 PAB 5.38

296.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$37.24 PAB 37.24

135.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$7.36 PAB 7.36

69.02%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$3.13 PAB 3.13

78.91%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$1.54 PAB 1.54

137.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.54 PAB 1.54

55.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$1.97 PAB 1.97

296.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$2.73 PAB 2.73

220.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.70 PAB 1.70

-34.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.26 PAB 2.26

60.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.39 PAB 2.39

46.44%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$2.42 PAB 2.42

83.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.98 PAB 1.98

-7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$9.87 PAB 9.87

50.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.78 PAB 0.78

57.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.92 PAB 2.92

-8.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.06 PAB 2.06

-20.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.06 PAB 1.06

-7.55%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

39.94%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$30.1K PAB 30.1K

-10.92%

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

$252 $252

$186 PAB 186

35.27%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$28.68 PAB 28.68

108.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$48.74 PAB 48.74

42.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$31.49 PAB 31.49

91.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

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

$1,458 $1,458

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$5,890 PAB 5,890

351.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$352 PAB 352

523.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$356 PAB 356

256.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$599 PAB 599

741.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

-2.57%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for David: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

David

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

David

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $352 in David. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 8.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $37 in David for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $87 per month, with David cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

20:15 8:15 PM

21:15 9:15 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

82,907

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.891 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX David 2,900 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
David

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

David wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making David the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay in Austin, TX is about 8.4 times higher, 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: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $352 in David. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $884 in David – David is about 67% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 371% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $884 in David versus $2,689 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in David but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes David 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.

It comes down to priorities – David wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.