Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Hay River, NT

For one person, living is cheaper in Hay River, NT: $2,228 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Hay River, NT
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Hay River, NT Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Hay River, NT

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Hay River, NT

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 Hay River, NT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,228 in Hay River, NT.

Austin, TX $2,698
Hay River, NT $2,228

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,228 in Hay River, NT.

Austin, TX $4,160
Hay River, NT $3,228

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,227 in Hay River, NT.

Austin, TX $5,622
Hay River, NT $4,227

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 21% more expensive than in Hay River, NT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Hay River, NT 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$17.76 CA$25.11

16.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$64.5 CA$91.1

31.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.38 CA$14.67

16.28%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.54 CA$5.01

54.80%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.03 CA$2.87

87.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.60 CA$2.27

54.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.28 CA$7.46

52.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$5.67 CA$8.01

56.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.00 CA$2.82

-44.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.50 CA$3.53

48.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.28 CA$4.63

2.74%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.44 CA$4.86

25.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$10.04 CA$14.19

30.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$11.38 CA$16.09

24.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.79 CA$20.91

10.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.71 CA$5.24

22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.32 CA$1.87

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.74 CA$5.29

25.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.79 CA$5.35

9.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.45 CA$3.46

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.25 CA$3.17

4.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.42 CA$3.42

-26.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.62 CA$2.29

32.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$14.17 CA$20.03

-28.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$12.77 CA$18.05

18.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.63 CA$3.72

7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.10 CA$4.38

10.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.26 CA$3.20

-31.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$62.1 CA$87.7

-33.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.79 CA$3.95

0.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.46 CA$2.07

9.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$22.52 CA$31.83

52.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.15 CA$1.62

-18.26%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$28.0K CA$39.6K

21.39%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$19.1K CA$27.1K

39.81%

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

$223 $223

$131 CA$186

69.38%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$37.62 CA$53.2

56.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$52.7 CA$74.4

34.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$40.43 CA$57.2

42.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$18.00 CA$25.45

-8.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$10.86 CA$15.35

31.31%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$760 CA$1,074

98.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$13.1K CA$18.5K

59.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$52.6 CA$74.4

-2.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$38.34 CA$54.2

15.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$83.9 CA$119

3.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$104 CA$147

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,130 CA$1,597

71.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,120 CA$1,584

17.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,928 CA$2,725

90.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,716 CA$2,426

49.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$4,164 CA$5,887

76.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$3,582 CA$5,065

-12.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,273 CA$6,041

23.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.66

45.71%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Hay River, NT: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Hay River, NT

$1.1K 50.3% 14.9% $196

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Hay River, NT

$349 15.7% 13.9% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Hay River, NT

$222 10% 37% $130

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Hay River, NT

$268 12% 23.4% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Hay River, NT

$125 5.6% 2.8% $3.7

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Hay River, NT

$62 2.8% 27.9% $24

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Hay River, NT

$81 3.7% 40.2% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,130 in Hay River, NT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 24% 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 $64.0 in Hay River, NT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $349 per month, with Hay River, NT cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇦 Hay River, NT

🕒 Local time

10:31 10:31 AM

09:31 9:31 AM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

3,600

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Hay River, NT 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Hay River, NT

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 Hay River, NT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hay River, NT wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hay River, NT the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,130 in Hay River, NT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,228 in Hay River, NT – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hay River, NT runs roughly 51% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,228 in Hay River, NT versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hay River, NT but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Hay River, NT 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.

Expats usually find Hay River, NT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.