Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lugo

For one person, living is cheaper in Lugo: $1,535 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Lugo
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,535
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,535 in Lugo.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Lugo $1,535

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,263 in Lugo.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Lugo $2,263

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,991 in Lugo.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Lugo $2,991

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 73% more expensive than in Lugo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Lugo 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$13.65 €12.14
52.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$55.3 €49.16
53.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$10.13 €9.01
21.62%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.10 €1.87
168.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.93 €2.61
26.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.46 €1.30
71.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$3.34 €2.97
141.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$2.29 €2.04
293.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.19 €1.06
-5.88%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.12 €1.00
234.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.38 €1.23
136.23%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$2.75 €2.45
51.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$13.62 €12.12
-5.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$6.00 €5.34
136.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$16.45 €14.63
-1.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.80 €2.49
54.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.01 €1.79
-27.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.28 €2.03
97.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$3.58 €3.19
21.23%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.15 €1.02
124.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.18 €1.94
7.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.42 €1.26
25.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.78 €0.70
184.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$6.05 €5.38
63.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$4.52 €4.02
233.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.51 €1.35
93.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.84 €2.53
21.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.69 €0.62
115.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$33.79 €30.06
23.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$5.38 €4.78
-49.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.33 €1.18
24.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$18.53 €16.48
90.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.78 €1.58
-46.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$29.8K €26.5K
20.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$30.7K €27.3K
-11.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$145 €129
58.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$19.39 €17.25
206.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$33.29 €29.61
110.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$44.55 €39.63
28.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$14.36 €12.77
13.72%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$9.13 €8.12
56.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$347 €308
334.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$8,223 €7,314
160.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$107 €95.5
-50.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$72.2 €64.3
-39.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$122 €109
-30.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$142 €126
-27.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$916 €815
108.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$565 €502
125.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,315 €1,170
178.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$791 €704
220.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$3,282 €2,920
131.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$2,203 €1,960
43.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Lugo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$1,727 €1,536
196.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
2.96
129.39%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lugo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Lugo
$565 55.7% $709
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Lugo
$258 36.2% $146
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Lugo
$197 44.9% $161
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Lugo
$204 42.4% $150
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Lugo
$200 56.1% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Lugo
$63 26.8% $23
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Lugo
$49 17.2% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $916 in Lugo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 197% 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 $55.0 in Lugo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $258 per month, with Lugo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇪🇸 Lugo
🕒 Local time
16:26 4:26 PM
23:26 11:26 PM
7 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
98,214
💱 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 = 0.89 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 Lugo 7,780 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Lugo

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 Lugo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Lugo?
Lugo wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lugo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Lugo?
Average pay runs 197% 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 Lugo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $916 in Lugo. 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 Lugo?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,535 in Lugo – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Lugo?
A monthly transit pass in Lugo runs roughly 23% 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 $1,500/month in Austin, TX or in Lugo?
At $1,535 in Lugo versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lugo but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Lugo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Lugo?
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 Lugo?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Lugo 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 Lugo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% 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

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