Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Manzini

For one person, living is cheaper in Manzini: $354 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $28,200 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

Manzini

🇸🇿 Eswatini

$354

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $354 in Manzini.

Austin, TX $2,704
Manzini $354

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $515 in Manzini.

Austin, TX $4,133
Manzini $515

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $677 in Manzini.

Austin, TX $5,562
Manzini $677

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 665% more expensive than in Manzini, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Manzini is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

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

$3.82 $3.82

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

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

$1.29 SZL 21.19

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.96 SZL 15.84

293.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.79 SZL 29.52

81.56%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.18 SZL 19.51

250.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$7.49 SZL 124

74.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$2.96 SZL 48.83

383.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$1.85 SZL 30.51

762.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.33 SZL 21.91

229.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.59 SZL 9.73

145.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$0.83 SZL 13.65

446.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$0.51 SZL 8.48

721.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.58 SZL 9.60

353.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.47 SZL 7.73

402.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.45 SZL 7.36

291.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.70 SZL 11.47

208.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$3.13 SZL 51.7

213.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$3.20 SZL 52.8

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.63 SZL 10.39

341.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$0.78 SZL 12.80

346.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.60 SZL 9.89

148.33%

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

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.32 SZL 21.79

-25.00%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$17.1K SZL 282.0K

109.25%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$15.7K SZL 259.3K

72.76%

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

$219 $219

$72.4 SZL 1,193

202.90%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$12.23 SZL 202

374.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$29.97 SZL 494

128.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$3.68 SZL 60.6

283.97%

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

$170 SZL 2,801

1037.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$105 SZL 1,734

1109.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$367 SZL 6,054

899.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$274 SZL 4,517

821.30%

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

$404 SZL 6,657

1163.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

-32.10%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Manzini: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Manzini

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Manzini

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Manzini

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Manzini

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Manzini

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Manzini

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Manzini

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $170 in Manzini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1164% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇿 Manzini

🕒 Local time

06:17 6:17 AM

13:17 1:17 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

110,508

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Eswatini Lilangeni SZL L

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 SZL = 6.07 USD

100 SZL = 5.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SZL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇿 Eswatini Lilangeni (L)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Eswatini Lilangeni exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 SZL (100 SZL = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.47 SZL (100 SZL = 5.41 EUR).

SZL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Manzini 15,060 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Manzini

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 Manzini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manzini wins on cost – living expenses run 665% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manzini the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1164% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $170 in Manzini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 244% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $354 in Manzini – a 665% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $354 in Manzini versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manzini but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Manzini 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 Manzini gentler on the wallet – expenses run 665% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.