Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and London

For one person, living is cheaper in London: $2,312 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
London
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,312
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $2,312 in London.

  • Austin, TX $2,704
  • London $2,312

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,278 in London.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • London $3,278

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $4,243 in London.

  • Austin, TX $5,562
  • London $4,243

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 17% more expensive than in London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, London 73% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 $20.22
$21.22 CA$30.24
-4.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.0 $85.0
$62.6 CA$89.3
35.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 $12.35
$12.36 CA$17.61
-0.08%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$3.65 CA$5.20
49.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$2.18 CA$3.10
75.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$2.06 CA$2.94
21.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 $8.06
$6.47 CA$9.22
24.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.99 $8.99
$6.47 CA$9.23
38.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.95 CA$2.78
-42.05%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 $3.78
$2.61 CA$3.72
44.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$3.94 CA$5.62
-17.51%
Eggs
$4.14 $4.14
$3.74 CA$5.34
10.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$9.83 CA$14.02
33.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.31 $14.31
$11.28 CA$16.08
26.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$15.02 CA$21.40
6.26%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$4.24 CA$6.04
3.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.29 CA$1.84
12.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$3.85 CA$5.49
17.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$4.06 CA$5.79
3.20%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 $2.63
$3.17 CA$4.53
-17.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
$3.02 CA$4.31
-21.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.58 CA$3.68
-31.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.46 CA$2.09
47.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.81 $9.81
$11.98 CA$17.08
-18.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.72 $14.72
$12.50 CA$17.82
17.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
$2.40 CA$3.43
15.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.87 CA$4.09
21.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.26 CA$3.22
-34.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.51 $40.51
$77.4 CA$110
-47.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.51 CA$3.58
6.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.60 CA$2.29
-1.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.29 $35.29
$21.83 CA$31.11
61.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.17 CA$1.67
-15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$27.8K CA$39.6K
28.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$22.7K CA$32.4K
19.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$135 CA$193
62.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0 $58.0
$39.06 CA$55.7
48.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$56.4 CA$80.3
21.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.9 $57.9
$37.00 CA$52.7
56.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.82 $14.82
$28.27 CA$40.29
-47.58%
Cinema Ticket
$14.13 $14.13
$10.41 CA$14.84
35.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
$407 CA$579
271.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$20.2K CA$28.8K
6.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 $51.7
$52.0 CA$74.1
-0.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.05 $44.05
$38.12 CA$54.3
15.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 $85.1
$82.8 CA$118
2.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$90.7 CA$129
16.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,932 $1,932
$1,270 CA$1,810
52.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 $1,272
$1,148 CA$1,636
10.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,670 $3,670
$2,013 CA$2,870
82.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 $2,525
$1,703 CA$2,428
48.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,617 $7,617
$3,440 CA$4,904
121.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,199 $3,199
$3,519 CA$5,015
-9.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,105 $5,105
$2,882 CA$4,108
77.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
4.72
43.86%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for London: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
London
$1.1K 9.8% $125
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$403
London
$358 11.1% $45
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
London
$313 10.1% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$346
London
$230 33.3% $115
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
London
$119 7.9% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
London
$58 32.9% $28
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
London
$97 70% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,270 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 77% 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 $63.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $358 per month, with London cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇨🇦 London
🕒 Local time
06:21 6:21 AM
07:21 7:21 AM
1 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
383,822
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX London 2,030 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • London

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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or London?
London wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making London the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in London?
Average pay runs 77% 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 London?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $1,270 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to London?
All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,312 in London – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to London?
A monthly transit pass in London runs roughly 91% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Austin, TX or in London?
At $2,312 in London versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in London but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes London the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Austin, TX or London?
Both work as nomad bases, but London delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,312 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes London hard to pass up.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to London?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and London 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 London gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% 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?