Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and General Santos

For one person, living is cheaper in General Santos: $628 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,400 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
31

Cost of Living Index in General Santos
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General Santos Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

General Santos

🇵🇭 Philippines

$628

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in General Santos

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $628 in General Santos.

Austin, TX $2,663
General Santos $628

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,009 in General Santos.

Austin, TX $4,133
General Santos $1,009

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,391 in General Santos.

Austin, TX $5,603
General Santos $1,391

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 324% more expensive than in General Santos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, General Santos is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.38 ₱213

514.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$27.40 ₱1,725

208.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$2.72 ₱172

352.94%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.56 ₱161

119.92%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.28 ₱17.41

1228.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.25 ₱15.83

900.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.58 ₱99.3

409.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$2.34 ₱147

285.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.00 ₱126

-44.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.08 ₱68.2

247.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$0.87 ₱54.7

274.71%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.86 ₱117

124.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$6.38 ₱402

102.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.77 ₱300

196.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$9.25 ₱582

75.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.74 ₱172

58.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.07 ₱67.2

36.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.45 ₱154

84.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.19 ₱74.6

264.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.98 ₱125

30.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.28 ₱207

-28.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.24 ₱78.2

43.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.68 ₱42.60

226.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.46 ₱155

301.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$7.76 ₱488

94.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.25 ₱78.5

133.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.68 ₱106

105.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.39 ₱24.37

282.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$8.15 ₱513

411.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.78 ₱49.25

250.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.25 ₱15.79

564.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$0.82 ₱51.4

4204.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.12 ₱70.7

-15.18%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$20.9K ₱1.3M

72.72%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

41.60%

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

$229 $229

$76.6 ₱4,825

198.79%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$6.53 ₱411

809.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$31.67 ₱1,994

120.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.91 ₱309

190.84%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$109 ₱6,840

1285.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$7,532 ₱474.2K

184.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$59.8 ₱3,767

-11.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$30.67 ₱1,931

42.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$70.3 ₱4,428

20.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$60.7 ₱3,823

69.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$174 ₱11.0K

993.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$112 ₱7,068

1034.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$359 ₱22.6K

921.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$238 ₱15.0K

965.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

8.31

-18.29%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for General Santos: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

General Santos

$112 17.9% 91.2% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

General Santos

$199 31.7% 50.8% $206

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

General Santos

$115 18.3% 67.9% $243

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

General Santos

$81 12.8% 77.2% $273

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

General Santos

$100 15.9% 22.1% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

General Santos

$9.8 * 1.6% 88.6% $76

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

General Santos

$12 1.9% 80% $47

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 $174 in General Santos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $27.00 in General Santos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $199 per month, with General Santos cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇭 General Santos

🕒 Local time

17:47 5:47 PM

06:47 6:47 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

697,315

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

PHP to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX General Santos 13,910 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
General Santos

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 General Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

General Santos wins on cost – living expenses run 324% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making General Santos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $942 in General Santos to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $174 in General Santos. 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 $628 in General Santos – a 324% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in General Santos runs roughly 412% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $628 in General Santos versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in General Santos but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes General Santos 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 General Santos 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 General Santos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 324% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.