Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Livingstone

For one person, living is cheaper in Livingstone: $202 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $30,000 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

$2,704

/mo nomad

Livingstone

🇿🇲 Zambia

$202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $202 in Livingstone.

Austin, TX $2,704
Livingstone $202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $374 in Livingstone.

Austin, TX $4,133
Livingstone $374

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $546 in Livingstone.

Austin, TX $5,562
Livingstone $546

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 1240% more expensive than in Livingstone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Livingstone is 85% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$7.40 ZMW 147

173.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$30.21 ZMW 599

181.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$9.09 ZMW 180

35.86%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$5.00 ZMW 99.2

9.40%

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

$3.82 $3.82

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.34 ZMW 6.68

635.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$20.26 ZMW 402

-27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

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

$2.51 ZMW 49.86

-37.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

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

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

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

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 Livingstone: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Livingstone

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Livingstone

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Livingstone

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Livingstone

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Livingstone

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Livingstone

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Livingstone

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $30.00 in Livingstone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $41.00 per month, with Livingstone cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇿🇲 Livingstone

🕒 Local time

05:14 5:14 AM

12:14 12:14 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

136,897

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.04 USD

100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇿🇲 Zambian Kwacha (ZK)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 19.83 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.04 USD). 1 EUR = 22.22 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR).

ZMW to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Livingstone 14,180 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Livingstone

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 Livingstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Livingstone wins on cost – living expenses run 1240% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Livingstone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,055 in Austin, TX and $303 in Livingstone 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.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $202 in Livingstone – a 1240% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 894% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $202 in Livingstone versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Livingstone but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Livingstone 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 Livingstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1240% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.