Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Makarska

For one person, living is cheaper in Makarska: $1,586 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Makarska
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,586
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,586 in Makarska.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Makarska $1,586

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,463 in Makarska.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Makarska $2,463

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,339 in Makarska.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Makarska $3,339

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 68% more expensive than in Makarska, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Makarska 17% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$17.45 €15.52
19.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$79.0 €70.3
7.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$7.89 €7.02
56.15%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.34 €2.97
68.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$4.00 €3.56
-7.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$3.06 €2.73
-18.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$5.64 €5.02
42.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$4.54 €4.04
98.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.13 €1.01
-0.88%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.70 €1.51
120.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$3.07 €2.73
6.19%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$4.89 €4.35
-14.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$15.33 €13.63
-15.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$9.49 €8.45
49.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$11.73 €10.43
38.28%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$1.96 €1.74
120.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.51 €1.35
-3.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.10 €1.87
114.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.67 €2.38
62.55%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.22 €1.97
16.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.01 €1.79
16.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.53 €1.36
16.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.63 €1.45
36.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$5.55 €4.94
78.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$7.65 €6.80
97.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.37 €1.22
113.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.49 €1.32
132.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.53 €1.36
-2.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$39.51 €35.14
5.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.09 €2.75
-11.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.43 €1.27
16.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$12.02 €10.69
193.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.67 €1.49
-43.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$25.9K €23.1K
39.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$24.9K €22.2K
8.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$177 €158
29.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$27.30 €24.28
117.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$42.91 €38.17
62.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$46.14 €41.04
24.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$16.43 €14.61
-0.61%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$8.98 €7.99
59.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$413 €368
264.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$6,923 €6,158
209.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$87.7 €78.0
-39.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$45.07 €40.09
-2.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$105 €93.5
-19.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$79.2 €70.4
30.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$692 €616
175.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$516 €459
146.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,197 €1,065
206.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$877 €780
189.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$3,594 €3,197
111.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$3,232 €2,875
-2.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Makarska
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.72
82.53%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Makarska: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Makarska
$516 59.5% $758
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Makarska
$291 28.1% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Makarska
$248 30.9% $111
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Makarska
$269 24% $85
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Makarska
$143 11.5% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Makarska
$64 25.3% $22
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Makarska
$56 4.8% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $692 in Makarska. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $79.0 in Makarska for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $291 per month, with Makarska cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇭🇷 Makarska
🕒 Local time
11:46 11:46 AM
18:46 6:46 PM
7 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
12,809
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Makarska 9,480 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Makarska

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 Makarska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Makarska?
Makarska wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makarska the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Makarska?
You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $2,379 in Makarska 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Makarska?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $692 in Makarska. 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 Makarska?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,586 in Makarska – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Makarska?
A monthly transit pass in Makarska runs roughly 6% 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 Makarska?
At $1,586 in Makarska versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Makarska but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Makarska the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Austin, TX or Makarska?
Both work as nomad bases, but Makarska delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,586 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makarska hard to pass up.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Makarska?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Makarska 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 Makarska gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% 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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