Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and New Westminster

For one person, living is cheaper in New Westminster: $2,526 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
New Westminster
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,526
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in New Westminster

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,526 in New Westminster.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • New Westminster $2,526

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,900 in New Westminster.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • New Westminster $3,900

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $5,273 in New Westminster.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • New Westminster $5,273

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 5% more expensive than in New Westminster, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, New Westminster 87% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$19.28 CA$27.41
7.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$49.65 CA$70.6
70.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$10.12 CA$14.39
21.74%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.47 CA$4.93
62.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$1.85 CA$2.63
101.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.55 CA$2.20
61.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$5.77 CA$8.21
39.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$5.63 CA$8.00
60.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.76 CA$2.50
-36.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.34 CA$3.32
60.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$3.45 CA$4.90
-5.51%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$3.01 CA$4.28
38.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$10.80 CA$15.35
19.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$15.33 CA$21.80
-7.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$26.67 CA$37.92
-39.18%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$3.77 CA$5.37
14.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.48 CA$2.10
-1.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$3.60 CA$5.12
25.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$3.66 CA$5.20
18.58%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.33 CA$3.32
10.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.21 CA$3.15
6.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.33 CA$3.31
-23.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.80 CA$2.57
23.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$15.33 CA$21.80
-35.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$10.63 CA$15.12
41.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.02 CA$2.87
44.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.72 CA$3.87
27.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.52 CA$3.58
-40.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$90.3 CA$128
-53.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$2.05 CA$2.91
33.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.72 CA$2.44
-3.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$22.76 CA$32.35
55.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.26 CA$1.79
-24.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$23.9K CA$33.9K
51.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$19.0K CA$27.0K
42.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$139 CA$197
65.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$42.09 CA$59.9
41.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$63.0 CA$89.6
10.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$32.42 CA$46.09
76.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$17.27 CA$24.55
-5.44%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$11.94 CA$16.97
19.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$758 CA$1,078
98.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$8,536 CA$12.1K
151.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$52.3 CA$74.3
1.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$41.77 CA$59.4
4.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$77.5 CA$110
9.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$96.6 CA$137
6.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,548 CA$2,201
23.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$1,319 CA$1,876
-3.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$2,841 CA$4,039
28.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$2,620 CA$3,725
-3.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$4,810 CA$6,839
58.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$4,025 CA$5,723
-21.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
New Westminster
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$2,989 CA$4,250
71.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
4.72
43.86%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for New Westminster: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
New Westminster
$1.3K 3.5% $45
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
New Westminster
$396 2.2% $9.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
New Westminster
$244 32% $114
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
New Westminster
$280 20.9% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
New Westminster
$121 5.7% $7.3
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
New Westminster
$56 34.4% $30
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
New Westminster
$111 89.1% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,548 in New Westminster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 71% 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 $50.0 in New Westminster for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $396 per month, with New Westminster cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇨🇦 New Westminster
🕒 Local time
19:36 7:36 PM
17:36 5:36 PM
2 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
58,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX New Westminster 2,980 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • New Westminster

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 New Westminster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or New Westminster?
New Westminster wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making New Westminster the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in New Westminster?
Average pay runs 71% 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 New Westminster?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,548 in New Westminster. 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 New Westminster?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,526 in New Westminster – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to New Westminster?
A monthly transit pass in New Westminster runs roughly 116% 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 $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in New Westminster?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. New Westminster is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or New Westminster?
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 New Westminster?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and New Westminster 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 New Westminster gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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