Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Geel

For one person, living is cheaper in Geel: $2,052 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Geel
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,052
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,052 in Geel.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Geel $2,052

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,931 in Geel.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Geel $2,931

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,810 in Geel.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Geel $3,810

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 30% more expensive than in Geel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Geel 52% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$18.72 €16.65
10.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$75.6 €67.2
11.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$10.77 €9.58
14.39%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.84 €3.42
46.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.62 €2.33
41.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$3.05 €2.71
-18.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$4.43 €3.94
81.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$3.30 €2.93
173.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.35 €1.20
-17.04%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.70 €2.40
38.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.69 €2.39
21.19%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$5.17 €4.60
-19.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$17.98 €16.00
-28.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$13.36 €11.88
5.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$21.62 €19.23
-24.98%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.98 €2.65
45.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.35 €2.09
-37.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.82 €2.51
59.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$4.07 €3.62
6.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.47 €2.20
4.45%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.13 €1.90
10.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.82 €1.62
-2.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.76 €0.67
192.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$13.24 €11.77
-25.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$8.68 €7.72
73.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.59 €2.30
12.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$3.10 €2.75
11.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$3.39 €3.01
-56.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$70.4 €62.6
-40.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$2.87 €2.55
-4.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.23 €1.98
-25.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$39.84 €35.43
-11.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.79 €1.60
-46.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$23.9K €21.2K
50.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$34.1K €30.3K
-20.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$169 €151
35.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$21.76 €19.36
172.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$52.5 €46.68
33.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$39.54 €35.17
44.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$16.73 €14.88
-14.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$1,615 €1,437
-6.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$36.1K €32.1K
-40.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$100 €89.3
-47.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$45.86 €40.79
-4.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$110 €98.0
-23.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$144 €128
-28.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,037 €922
83.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$795 €707
60.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,042 €927
251.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$950 €845
167.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$3,922 €3,488
94.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$3,388 €3,013
-6.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Geel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$2,410 €2,144
112.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3
126.33%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Geel: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Geel
$795 37.6% $479
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Geel
$383 5.4% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Geel
$244 32% $115
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Geel
$280 21% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Geel
$180 40.7% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Geel
$73 14.9% $13
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Geel
$98 66.8% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,037 in Geel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 112% 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 $76.0 in Geel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $383 per month, with Geel cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇧🇪 Geel
🕒 Local time
16:26 4:26 PM
23:26 11:26 PM
7 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
40,781
💱 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 = 0.89 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 Geel 8,240 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Geel

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 Geel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Geel?
Geel wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Geel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Geel?
Average pay runs 112% 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 Geel?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,037 in Geel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Geel?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,052 in Geel – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Geel?
A monthly transit pass in Geel runs roughly 69% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Austin, TX or in Geel?
At $2,052 in Geel versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Geel but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Geel the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Geel?
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 Geel?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Geel 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 Geel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% 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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