Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lihue, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,194 in Lihue, HI, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 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

$2,607

/mo nomad

Lihue, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,194

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Lihue, HI

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $3,194 in Lihue, HI.

Austin, TX $2,607
Lihue, HI $3,194

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $5,556 in Lihue, HI.

Austin, TX $4,031
Lihue, HI $5,556

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $7,919 in Lihue, HI.

Austin, TX $5,454
Lihue, HI $7,919

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 18% less than in Lihue, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Lihue, HI 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$25.32 $25.32

-19.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$111 $111

-23.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$13.03 $13.03

-6.98%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$6.55 $6.55

-13.74%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.82 $3.82

-3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.46 $2.46

-4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.88 $6.88

14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.91 $7.91

11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.88 $1.88

-39.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$6.56 $6.56

-43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.81 $2.81

17.79%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$10.19 $10.19

-59.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$15.42 $15.42

-15.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$15.17 $15.17

-8.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$20.13 $20.13

-18.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.78 $4.78

-1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$3.33 $3.33

-56.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$8.59 $8.59

-40.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$10.13 $10.13

-55.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.05 $5.05

-39.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$6.33 $6.33

-62.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$12.17 $12.17

-18.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.81 $15.81

-4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.70 $1.70

71.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.69 $1.69

97.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.97 $1.97

-38.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$52.9 $52.9

-23.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$7.88 $7.88

-64.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.90 $1.90

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$15.25 $15.25

132.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.30 $1.30

-26.92%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

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

$26.8K $26.8K

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

$223 $223

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

$58.5 $58.5

$30.21 $30.21

93.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$60.6 $60.6

17.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$91.9 $91.9

-42.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$9.01 $9.01

56.05%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,200 $1,200

21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$16.2K $16.2K

31.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$2,353 $2,353

-10.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$2,000 $2,000

-38.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$5,245 $5,245

-26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$4,812 $4,812

-49.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$1,987 $1,987

160.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.69

1.94%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lihue, HI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Lihue, HI

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Lihue, HI

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Lihue, HI

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Lihue, HI

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Lihue, HI

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Lihue, HI

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Lihue, HI

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $2,353 in Lihue, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 2.6 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $111 in Lihue, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $519 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Lihue, HI

🕒 Local time

20:47 8:47 PM

16:47 4:47 PM

4 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Lihue, HI 6,150 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Lihue, HI

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 Lihue, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Lihue, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay in Austin, TX is about 2.6 times higher, 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $2,353 in Lihue, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,194 in Lihue, HI – Austin, TX is about 18% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 23% less than in Lihue, HI. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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

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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Lihue, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.