Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Hirakata

For one person, living is cheaper in Hirakata: $1,220 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 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
59

Cost of Living Index in Hirakata
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Hirakata Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Hirakata

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,220

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,220 in Hirakata.

Austin, TX $2,698
Hirakata $1,220

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,929 in Hirakata.

Austin, TX $4,160
Hirakata $1,929

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $2,638 in Hirakata.

Austin, TX $5,622
Hirakata $2,638

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 121% more expensive than in Hirakata, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Hirakata is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$8.59 ¥1,356

140.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$31.38 ¥4,958

169.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$4.97 ¥786

142.86%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.90 ¥458

88.97%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.29 ¥204

194.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.72 ¥114

243.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.07 ¥486

162.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$3.87 ¥611

129.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.44 ¥228

-22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.31 ¥206

183.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.49 ¥867

-38.62%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.05 ¥324

110.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.33 ¥1,474

40.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$6.93 ¥1,095

104.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$17.25 ¥2,725

-5.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.39 ¥536

34.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.94 ¥307

-24.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.10 ¥489

51.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.13 ¥652

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.03 ¥637

-35.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.82 ¥603

-38.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.36 ¥216

30.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.88 ¥138

143.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$3.94 ¥623

156.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$9.69 ¥1,531

56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.61 ¥412

8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.13 ¥495

9.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.49 ¥236

3.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$52.9 ¥8,365

-22.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.24 ¥512

-13.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.23 ¥510

-50.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$15.59 ¥2,462

120.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.06 ¥168

-11.32%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$22.0K ¥3.5M

54.60%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$15.3K ¥2.4M

74.55%

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

$223 $223

$114 ¥18.1K

94.51%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$23.50 ¥3,713

150.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$30.41 ¥4,805

132.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$52.5 ¥8,291

9.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$6.47 ¥1,022

155.49%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$11.43 ¥1,806

24.76%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$513 ¥81.1K

194.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$13.0K ¥2.1M

60.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$48.40 ¥7,646

5.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$30.44 ¥4,810

45.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$61.5 ¥9,710

41.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$90.8 ¥14.3K

14.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$525 ¥83.0K

269.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$336 ¥53.1K

291.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,121 ¥177.1K

226.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$729 ¥115.2K

251.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$4,201 ¥663.7K

75.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,730 ¥273.3K

80.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$1,904 ¥300.9K

177.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

2.02

236.14%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Hirakata: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Hirakata

$336 27.5% 74.5% $980

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Hirakata

$308 25.3% 24.1% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Hirakata

$168 13.8% 52.2% $184

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Hirakata

$150 12.3% 57.3% $201

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Hirakata

$104 8.5% 19.4% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Hirakata

$75 6.2% 12.6% $11

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Hirakata

$78 6.4% 35.2% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $525 in Hirakata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 178% 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 $31.00 in Hirakata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $308 per month, with Hirakata cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇯🇵 Hirakata

🕒 Local time

23:45 11:45 PM

13:45 1:45 PM

14 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

402,495

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇯🇵 Japanese Yen (¥)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

JPY to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Hirakata 10,870 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Hirakata

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 Hirakata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hirakata wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hirakata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 178% 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 $525 in Hirakata. 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 $1,220 in Hirakata – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hirakata runs roughly 29% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,220 in Hirakata versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hirakata but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Hirakata 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 Hirakata 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 Hirakata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.