Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Donegal

For one person, living is cheaper in Donegal: $1,863 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Donegal
🇮🇪 Ireland
$1,863
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,863 in Donegal.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Donegal $1,863

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,765 in Donegal.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Donegal $2,765

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,667 in Donegal.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Donegal $3,667

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 43% more expensive than in Donegal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Donegal 38% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$19.68 €17.51
5.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$83.5 €74.2
1.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$5.74 €5.10
114.63%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.82 €2.51
99.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$1.64 €1.46
126.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.09 €0.97
129.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$7.14 €6.35
12.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$6.57 €5.84
37.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.66 €1.48
-32.53%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.81 €1.61
107.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.79 €1.59
82.12%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$3.44 €3.06
21.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$7.68 €6.83
67.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$12.63 €11.23
12.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$13.21 €11.75
22.79%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.22 €1.97
95.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.60 €1.42
-8.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.32 €1.18
241.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$4.21 €3.74
3.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.38 €1.22
86.96%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.71 €2.41
-13.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.29 €1.15
37.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.95 €1.74
13.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$20.30 €18.06
-51.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$17.04 €15.15
-11.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$3.02 €2.69
-3.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.82 €2.51
22.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$5.45 €4.84
-49.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.44 €1.28
15.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$67.3 €59.8
-47.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.93 €1.72
-50.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$38.1K €33.9K
-5.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$37.8K €33.6K
-28.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$163 €145
40.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$20.94 €18.62
183.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$44.19 €39.31
58.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$54.8 €48.73
4.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$10.97 €9.76
30.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$832 €740
80.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$2,191 €1,949
879.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$72.4 €64.4
-27.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$36.92 €32.84
18.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$77.1 €68.5
10.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$94.3 €83.9
9.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,108 €986
72.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$830 €738
53.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,641 €1,460
123.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,266 €1,126
100.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$1,679 €1,493
353.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$1,137 €1,011
177.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Donegal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$4,191 €3,728
22.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.6
88.61%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Donegal: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Donegal
$830 34.9% $444
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Donegal
$321 20.6% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Donegal
$228 36.4% $130
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Donegal
$268 24.2% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Donegal
$126 1.3% $1.7
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Donegal
$77 10.6% $9.1
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Donegal
$13 * 78.4% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,108 in Donegal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 22% 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 $83.0 in Donegal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $321 per month, with Donegal cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇮🇪 Donegal
🕒 Local time
11:27 11:27 AM
17:27 5:27 PM
6 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
2,600
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Donegal 7,290 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Donegal

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 Donegal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Donegal?
Donegal wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Donegal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Donegal?
Average pay runs 22% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Donegal?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,108 in Donegal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Donegal?
Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $832 in Donegal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Donegal?
Dining out is cheaper in Donegal – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Austin, TX or in Donegal?
At $1,863 in Donegal versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Donegal but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Donegal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Donegal?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Donegal?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Donegal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Donegal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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