Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Halmstad

For one person, living is cheaper in Halmstad: $1,605 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Halmstad
Learn more

Halmstad Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Halmstad

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,605 in Halmstad.

Austin, TX $2,663
Halmstad $1,605

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,504 in Halmstad.

Austin, TX $4,133
Halmstad $2,504

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,402 in Halmstad.

Austin, TX $5,603
Halmstad $3,402

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 66% more expensive than in Halmstad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Halmstad 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$12.90 SEK 128

61.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$70.8 SEK 701

19.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$11.37 SEK 113

8.36%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.57 SEK 45.23

23.19%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.89 SEK 28.61

28.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.24 SEK 22.16

11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.88 SEK 68.2

17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$7.36 SEK 72.9

22.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.47 SEK 14.57

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.48 SEK 24.56

51.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.21 SEK 31.76

1.56%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.31 SEK 32.78

25.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$11.24 SEK 111

14.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$8.98 SEK 88.9

57.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$16.16 SEK 160

0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.11 SEK 30.78

39.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.52 SEK 24.92

-42.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.85 SEK 28.22

58.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.07 SEK 40.35

6.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.53 SEK 15.12

68.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.52 SEK 15.06

54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.95 SEK 19.30

-8.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.94 SEK 9.33

136.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$6.44 SEK 63.9

53.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$10.43 SEK 103

44.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.11 SEK 20.86

38.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.16 SEK 21.43

60.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.74 SEK 27.13

-45.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$65.6 SEK 650

-36.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$6.18 SEK 61.2

-55.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.72 SEK 17.03

-3.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$58.5 SEK 580

-39.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.72 SEK 17.09

-44.77%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$32.4K SEK 320.8K

11.34%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$32.9K SEK 325.9K

-17.68%

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

$229 $229

$105 SEK 1,040

118.13%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$19.69 SEK 195

201.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$33.06 SEK 328

111.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$34.63 SEK 343

65.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$16.16 SEK 160

-11.63%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$152 SEK 1,505

891.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$4,398 SEK 43.6K

387.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$88.7 SEK 879

-40.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$32.41 SEK 321

35.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$87.3 SEK 865

-2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$130 SEK 1,286

-20.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$571 SEK 5,661

233.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$557 SEK 5,524

128.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,102 SEK 10.9K

232.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$962 SEK 9,528

163.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$4,302 SEK 42.6K

76.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$2,298 SEK 22.8K

122.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.06

121.90%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Halmstad: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Halmstad

$558 34.7% 56.2% $717

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Halmstad

$317 19.8% 21.5% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Halmstad

$158 9.8% 56% $201

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Halmstad

$262 16.3% 26% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Halmstad

$152 9.5% 18.9% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Halmstad

$67 4.2% 22% $19

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Halmstad

$91 5.7% 55.6% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $571 in Halmstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 123% 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 Halmstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $317 per month, with Halmstad cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇪 Halmstad

🕒 Local time

02:05 2:05 AM

09:05 9:05 AM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

55,688

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

SEK to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Halmstad 8,370 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Halmstad

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 Halmstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Halmstad wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Halmstad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 123% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $571 in Halmstad. 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 $1,605 in Halmstad – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Halmstad runs roughly 57% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,605 in Halmstad versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Halmstad but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Halmstad 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 Halmstad 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 Halmstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.