Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Moratuwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $29,700 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

$2,607

/mo nomad

Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $131 in Moratuwa.

Austin, TX $2,607
Moratuwa $131

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $211 in Moratuwa.

Austin, TX $4,031
Moratuwa $211

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $291 in Moratuwa.

Austin, TX $5,454
Moratuwa $291

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 1886% more expensive than in Moratuwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 92% above, Moratuwa is 90% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$1.84 LKR 611

207.07%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$0.71 LKR 234

418.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.15 LKR 49.28

1473.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$1.85 LKR 616

325.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$2.46 LKR 816

258.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.25 LKR 417

-8.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$0.46 LKR 154

702.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$0.82 LKR 272

303.66%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.36 LKR 785

75.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$12.27 LKR 4,078

5.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.46 LKR 154

215.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

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

$34.2K $34.2K

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

$26.8K $26.8K

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

$223 $223

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

$58.5 $58.5

$4.44 LKR 1,475

1217.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$15.01 LKR 4,989

253.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$3.08 LKR 1,024

443.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

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

$1,459 $1,459

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$6.05 LKR 2,013

606.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Moratuwa

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Moratuwa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Moratuwa

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Moratuwa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Moratuwa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Moratuwa

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Moratuwa

–

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🕒 Local time

17:52 5:52 PM

04:22 4:22 AM

10 h 30 min ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

207,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

LKR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Moratuwa 15,890 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Moratuwa

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 Moratuwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moratuwa wins on cost – living expenses run 95% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Moratuwa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $3,911 in Austin, TX and $197 in Moratuwa 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 490% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $131 in Moratuwa – Moratuwa is about 95% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $131 in Moratuwa versus $2,607 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Moratuwa but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Moratuwa 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.