Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Guelph

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Guelph: $2,704 and $2,586 a month, rent and utilities included.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Guelph
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,586
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $2,586 in Guelph.

  • Austin, TX $2,704
  • Guelph $2,586

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,627 in Guelph.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Guelph $3,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $4,669 in Guelph.

  • Austin, TX $5,562
  • Guelph $4,669

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 5% more expensive than in Guelph, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Guelph 93% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 $20.22
$21.26 CA$30.31
-4.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.0 $85.0
$70.6 CA$101
20.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 $12.35
$11.25 CA$16.03
9.78%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$3.40 CA$4.84
60.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$1.49 CA$2.12
156.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.35 CA$1.92
85.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 $8.06
$5.03 CA$7.16
60.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.99 $8.99
$5.97 CA$8.52
50.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$2.10 CA$3.00
-46.19%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 $3.78
$2.84 CA$4.05
33.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$3.76 CA$5.36
-13.56%
Eggs
$4.14 $4.14
$2.86 CA$4.08
44.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$10.08 CA$14.37
29.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.31 $14.31
$15.42 CA$21.98
-7.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$21.75 CA$31.00
-26.62%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$3.64 CA$5.19
20.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.30 CA$1.86
11.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$4.42 CA$6.29
2.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$4.50 CA$6.41
-6.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 $2.63
$3.40 CA$4.85
-22.65%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.34 CA$3.33
0.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.91 CA$4.15
-39.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.51 CA$2.15
43.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.81 $9.81
$10.77 CA$15.36
-8.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.72 $14.72
$11.04 CA$15.74
33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
$3.45 CA$4.92
-19.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
$3.12 CA$4.45
11.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.23 CA$3.18
-33.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.51 $40.51
$65.5 CA$93.3
-38.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.39 CA$3.41
11.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.77 CA$2.52
-10.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.29 $35.29
$24.16 CA$34.43
46.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.13 CA$1.61
-12.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$28.2K CA$40.2K
26.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$20.2K CA$28.7K
34.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$123 CA$175
78.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0 $58.0
$42.86 CA$61.1
35.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$55.1 CA$78.6
23.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.9 $57.9
$54.7 CA$77.9
5.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.82 $14.82
$14.12 CA$20.13
4.96%
Cinema Ticket
$14.13 $14.13
$10.42 CA$14.85
35.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
$812 CA$1,158
85.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$16.6K CA$23.7K
29.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 $51.7
$61.8 CA$88.0
-16.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.05 $44.05
$36.02 CA$51.3
22.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 $85.1
$85.7 CA$122
-0.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$123 CA$176
-14.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,932 $1,932
$1,453 CA$2,072
32.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 $1,272
$1,378 CA$1,964
-7.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,670 $3,670
$2,018 CA$2,876
81.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 $2,525
$1,934 CA$2,757
30.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,617 $7,617
$4,827 CA$6,881
57.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,199 $3,199
$4,691 CA$6,686
-31.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Guelph
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,105 $5,105
$3,147 CA$4,486
62.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
4.99
36.07%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Guelph: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Guelph
$1.4K 8.3% $106
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$403
Guelph
$405 0.5% $2.1
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Guelph
$293 15.8% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$346
Guelph
$221 36.2% $125
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Guelph
$138 7.2% $9.3
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Guelph
$76 12.4% $11
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Guelph
$86 50.2% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,453 in Guelph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 62% 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 $71.0 in Guelph. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇨🇦 Guelph
🕒 Local time
05:06 5:06 AM
06:06 6:06 AM
1 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
131,794
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Guelph 2,140 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Guelph

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 Guelph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Guelph?
Guelph wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guelph the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Guelph?
Average pay runs 62% 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 Guelph?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $1,453 in Guelph. 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 Guelph?
All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,586 in Guelph – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Guelph?
A monthly transit pass in Guelph runs roughly 62% 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 $2,500/month in Austin, TX or in Guelph?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Guelph is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Guelph?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Guelph gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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