Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lae

For one person, living is cheaper in Lae: $825 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Lae

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$825

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $825 in Lae.

Austin, TX $2,704
Lae $825

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,464 in Lae.

Austin, TX $4,133
Lae $1,464

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $2,103 in Lae.

Austin, TX $5,562
Lae $2,103

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 228% more expensive than in Lae, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Lae is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$24.56 PGK 108

-17.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$50.0 PGK 219

69.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.66 PGK 11.66

105.64%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.79 PGK 3.47

383.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.54 PGK 2.35

362.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.27 PGK 14.33

146.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$5.20 PGK 22.77

72.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.02 PGK 8.85

-44.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.47 PGK 6.42

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.28 PGK 5.61

153.91%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$3.95 PGK 17.30

4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$9.51 PGK 41.69

37.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$8.83 PGK 38.70

62.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$10.71 PGK 46.92

49.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.55 PGK 19.94

-3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.78 PGK 12.18

-47.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$6.04 PGK 26.46

-24.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.51 PGK 6.64

177.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.49 PGK 15.31

-24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.39 PGK 10.46

-1.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.68 PGK 3.00

158.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.91 PGK 4.00

137.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$6.58 PGK 28.83

49.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$12.02 PGK 52.7

22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.47 PGK 10.81

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.28 PGK 18.75

-18.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.32 PGK 1.39

365.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.96 PGK 4.23

3.13%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

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

$27.2K $27.2K

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

$219 $219

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

$58.0 $58.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

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

$1,509 $1,509

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$445 PGK 1,951

334.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$260 PGK 1,141

388.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$1,193 PGK 5,227

207.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$611 PGK 2,676

313.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$157 PGK 689

3145.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Lae: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Lae

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Lae

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Lae

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Lae

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Lae

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Lae

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Lae

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $445 in Lae. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 3145% 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 $50.0 in Lae for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $306 per month, with Lae cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇬 Lae

🕒 Local time

04:05 4:05 AM

19:05 7:05 PM

15 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

250,948

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.203 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PGK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinean Kina (K)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.91 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

PGK to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Lae 12,800 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Lae

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 Lae: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lae wins on cost – living expenses run 228% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lae the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3145% 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $445 in Lae. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $825 in Lae – a 228% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $825 in Lae versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lae but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Lae 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 Lae gentler on the wallet – expenses run 228% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.