Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Medias

For one person, living is cheaper in Medias: $1,082 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Medias
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Medias Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Medias

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,082

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,082 in Medias.

Austin, TX $2,663
Medias $1,082

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,668 in Medias.

Austin, TX $4,133
Medias $1,668

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,254 in Medias.

Austin, TX $5,603
Medias $2,254

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 146% more expensive than in Medias, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Medias is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$11.00 RON 52.1

88.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$53.1 RON 251

59.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$7.16 RON 33.88

72.07%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.62 RON 17.12

55.52%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.44 RON 11.57

52.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.14 RON 10.14

16.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.09 RON 14.60

160.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$3.37 RON 15.96

167.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.28 RON 6.05

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.44 RON 6.79

160.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.79 RON 8.46

82.12%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.44 RON 16.27

21.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$8.63 RON 40.85

49.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$6.79 RON 32.15

108.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$12.40 RON 58.7

30.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.53 RON 7.24

183.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.46 RON 6.90

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.58 RON 7.45

185.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.60 RON 12.32

66.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.83 RON 3.91

210.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.85 RON 4.04

176.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.90 RON 4.25

97.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.76 RON 3.59

192.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$5.92 RON 28.03

66.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$7.16 RON 33.86

110.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.18 RON 5.56

147.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.87 RON 8.87

85.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.76 RON 3.60

96.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$21.20 RON 100

96.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.64 RON 3.01

326.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.66 RON 3.12

151.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$6.70 RON 31.69

426.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.41 RON 6.66

-32.62%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$28.8K RON 136.5K

24.95%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.6K RON 120.9K

5.92%

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

$229 $229

$177 RON 838

29.27%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$7.69 RON 36.39

672.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$9.07 RON 42.92

670.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$38.04 RON 180

50.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$20.64 RON 97.6

-20.88%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$6.49 RON 30.69

120.03%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,506 $1,506

$454 RON 2,146

231.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$7,061 RON 33.4K

203.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$51.2 RON 242

3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$35.26 RON 167

24.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$75.7 RON 358

11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$89.6 RON 424

15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$392 RON 1,854

386.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$281 RON 1,329

353.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$593 RON 2,806

517.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$449 RON 2,126

464.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,878 RON 8,887

305.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,322 RON 6,253

138.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

7.2

-5.69%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Medias: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Medias

$281 26% 78% $993

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Medias

$222 20.5% 45.2% $183

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Medias

$194 17.9% 45.9% $164

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Medias

$193 17.9% 45.3% $160

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Medias

$113 10.5% 11.5% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Medias

$51 4.7% 40.5% $35

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Medias

$28 2.6% 52% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $392 in Medias. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $53.0 in Medias for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $222 per month, with Medias cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇷🇴 Medias

🕒 Local time

13:44 1:44 PM

21:44 9:44 PM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

53,564

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

RON to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Medias 9,720 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Medias

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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medias wins on cost – living expenses run 146% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medias the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $1,623 in Medias 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $392 in Medias. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,082 in Medias – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medias runs roughly 97% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,082 in Medias versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medias but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Medias 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Medias are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.