Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Palawan

For one person, living is cheaper in Palawan: $792 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,500 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
38

Cost of Living Index in Palawan
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Palawan Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Palawan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$792

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $792 in Palawan.

Austin, TX $2,663
Palawan $792

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,230 in Palawan.

Austin, TX $4,133
Palawan $1,230

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,668 in Palawan.

Austin, TX $5,603
Palawan $1,668

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 236% more expensive than in Palawan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Palawan is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.62 ₱228

473.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$19.14 ₱1,205

341.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$3.37 ₱212

265.58%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.63 ₱165

114.07%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.83 ₱52.5

348.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.39 ₱24.65

541.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.29 ₱81.4

524.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$2.16 ₱136

317.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.90 ₱120

-41.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.26 ₱79.4

197.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.01 ₱63.5

222.77%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.98 ₱125

110.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$7.83 ₱493

64.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.21 ₱265

236.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$7.78 ₱490

108.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.00 ₱189

44.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.56 ₱98.2

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.72 ₱171

65.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.62 ₱102

167.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.31 ₱146

11.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.59 ₱163

-9.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.06 ₱66.9

67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.71 ₱44.86

212.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.78 ₱175

255.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$6.85 ₱431

120.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.20 ₱75.4

143.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.03 ₱128

70.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.28 ₱17.81

432.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$11.29 ₱711

269.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.83 ₱52.4

228.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.24 ₱15.20

591.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$2.15 ₱136

1541.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.10 ₱69.2

-13.64%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$26.5K ₱1.7M

36.03%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$20.1K ₱1.3M

34.96%

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

$229 $229

$114 ₱7,183

100.71%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$32.54 ₱2,049

82.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$27.55 ₱1,734

153.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$34.48 ₱2,171

66.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$4.36 ₱275

274.54%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$5.80 ₱365

146.21%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$150 ₱9,463

901.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$4,228 ₱266.2K

407.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$45.09 ₱2,839

17.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$26.54 ₱1,671

65.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$74.9 ₱4,713

13.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$53.6 ₱3,377

92.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$264 ₱16.6K

621.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$177 ₱11.1K

620.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$589 ₱37.1K

521.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$390 ₱24.5K

551.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,359 ₱148.5K

222.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$994 ₱62.6K

217.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.67

1.80%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Palawan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Palawan

$177 22.4% 86.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Palawan

$204 25.7% 49.7% $201

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Palawan

$174 22% 51.4% $184

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Palawan

$86 10.9% 75.6% $268

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Palawan

$90 11.4% 29.6% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Palawan

$46 5.8% 46.3% $40

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Palawan

$14 1.8% 75.4% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $264 in Palawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $19.00 in Palawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $204 per month, with Palawan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇭 Palawan

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

02:49 2:49 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

939,594

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

PHP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Palawan 14,090 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Palawan

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 Palawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palawan wins on cost – living expenses run 236% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Palawan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $1,187 in Palawan 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 $264 in Palawan. 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 $792 in Palawan – a 236% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Palawan runs roughly 270% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $792 in Palawan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palawan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Palawan 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 Palawan 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 Palawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 236% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.