Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kauai, Hawaii Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kauai, Hawaii

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,527 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $3,714 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $4,900 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 8% more expensive than Kauai, Hawaii, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Kauai, Hawaii 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$18.98 $18.98

5.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$75.4 $75.4

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$10.84 $10.84

-6.55%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.05 $5.05

8.71%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.60 $2.60

4.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.04 $2.04

4.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.86 $5.86

3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.07 $7.07

13.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.01 $1.01

7.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.55 $3.55

-5.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$4.39 $4.39

-22.10%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.09 $4.09

5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$12.02 $12.02

-1.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$11.36 $11.36

-5.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$15.66 $15.66

-7.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.83 $4.83

-0.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.61 $1.61

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.23 $4.23

6.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.62 $4.62

-12.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.80 $2.80

-1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.78 $2.78

0.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.12 $2.12

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.09 $2.09

2.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$9.38 $9.38

-1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$13.84 $13.84

7.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.79 $1.79

27.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.39 $3.39

4.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.98 $1.98

-23.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.55 $3.55

20.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.60 $1.60

13.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$28.87 $28.87

23.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.84 $0.84

-8.33%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$30.0K $30.0K

-14.70%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.0K $26.0K

1.15%

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

$172 $172

$184 $184

-6.35%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$52.2 $52.2

15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$67.9 $67.9

-1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$42.69 $42.69

47.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$13.32 $13.32

10.59%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$1,288 $1,288

8.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$23.9K $23.9K

-8.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$51.9 $51.9

6.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$39.82 $39.82

14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

-0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$111 $111

3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,571 $1,571

42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$1,371 $1,371

2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,602 $2,602

45.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,190 $2,190

23.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$2,728 $2,728

167.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,465 $2,465

35.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.51

-0.92%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,571 in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $75 in Kauai, Hawaii. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $384, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kauai, Hawaii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kauai, Hawaii wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kauai, Hawaii the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,079 in Austin, TX and $3,791 in Kauai, Hawaii 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: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,571 in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $1,288 in Kauai, Hawaii. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kauai, Hawaii – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Kauai, Hawaii is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kauai, Hawaii delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,527 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kauai, Hawaii hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Kauai, Hawaii 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 Kauai, Hawaii gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.