Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kilkenny

For one person, living is cheaper in Kilkenny: $2,358 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Kilkenny
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,358
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,358 in Kilkenny.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Kilkenny $2,358

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,276 in Kilkenny.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Kilkenny $3,276

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,194 in Kilkenny.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Kilkenny $4,194

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 13% more expensive than in Kilkenny, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Kilkenny 75% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$16.47 €14.65
26.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$67.4 €59.9
25.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$9.88 €8.79
24.70%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$4.23 €3.76
33.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.91 €2.59
27.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$2.11 €1.88
18.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$6.29 €5.60
27.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$6.30 €5.60
43.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.29 €1.15
-13.18%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.38 €2.12
57.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.58 €1.41
106.33%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$4.23 €3.76
-1.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$10.28 €9.14
25.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$5.46 €4.86
159.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$6.76 €6.01
139.94%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.17 €1.93
99.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.14 €1.90
-31.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$3.01 €2.68
49.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.84 €2.52
52.82%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.20 €1.07
115.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.09 €0.97
115.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$0.85 €0.76
109.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.89 €1.68
17.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$19.80 €17.61
-50.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$14.03 €12.48
7.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$3.95 €3.52
-26.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$4.55 €4.05
-23.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.80 €2.49
-46.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$5.08 €4.52
-46.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.49 €1.32
11.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$56.7 €50.4
-37.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.98 €1.76
-52.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$38.2K €34.0K
-5.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$37.5K €33.4K
-27.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$177 €157
29.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$20.87 €18.56
184.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$50.2 €44.67
39.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$69.6 €61.9
-17.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$22.03 €19.60
-25.87%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$16.42 €14.61
-13.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$896 €797
68.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$99.6 €88.6
-46.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$36.46 €32.43
20.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$109 €97.2
-22.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$96.2 €85.6
7.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,490 €1,325
28.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$1,277 €1,136
-0.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$2,593 €2,306
41.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,801 €1,602
40.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$8,102 €7,206
-6.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$2,248 €1,999
40.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Kilkenny
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$2,796 €2,487
83.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.68
84.51%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kilkenny: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Kilkenny
$1.3K 0.2% $2.6
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Kilkenny
$277 31.5% $127
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Kilkenny
$248 30.8% $110
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Kilkenny
$276 21.9% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Kilkenny
$154 20.1% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Kilkenny
$102 19.4% $17
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Kilkenny
$24 * 59.6% $35

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,490 in Kilkenny. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 83% 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 $67.0 in Kilkenny for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $277 per month, with Kilkenny cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇮🇪 Kilkenny
🕒 Local time
07:12 7:12 AM
13:12 1:12 PM
6 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
26,500
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Kilkenny 7,410 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Kilkenny

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 Kilkenny: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Kilkenny?
Kilkenny wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kilkenny the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Kilkenny?
Average pay runs 83% 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 Kilkenny?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,490 in Kilkenny. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Kilkenny?
Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $896 in Kilkenny. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Kilkenny?
Dining out is cheaper in Kilkenny – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Austin, TX or in Kilkenny?
At $2,358 in Kilkenny versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Kilkenny but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kilkenny the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Kilkenny?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Kilkenny?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Kilkenny are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kilkenny gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?