Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Paro

For one person, living is cheaper in Paro: $150 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $30,600 less a year.

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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

Paro

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$150

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $150 in Paro.

Austin, TX $2,704
Paro $150

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $301 in Paro.

Austin, TX $4,133
Paro $301

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $453 in Paro.

Austin, TX $5,562
Paro $453

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 1706% more expensive than in Paro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Paro is 89% 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

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

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

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

$35.8K $35.8K

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

$27.2K $27.2K

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

$219 $219

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

$58.0 $58.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$3.49 BTN 338

324.64%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

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

$197 BTN 19.1K

880.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$148 BTN 14.4K

757.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$495 BTN 48.0K

640.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$447 BTN 43.3K

465.24%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Paro: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Paro

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Paro

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Paro

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Paro

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Paro

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Paro

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Paro

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $197 in Paro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇧🇹 Paro

🕒 Local time

02:10 2:10 AM

13:10 1:10 PM

11 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

11,448

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.33 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇹 Bhutanese Ngultrum (Nu.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.83 BTN (100 BTN = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.21 EUR).

BTN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Paro 13,550 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Paro

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 Paro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paro wins on cost – living expenses run 1706% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Paro the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,055 in Austin, TX and $225 in Paro 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $197 in Paro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $150 in Paro versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Paro but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Paro 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 Paro 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 Paro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1706% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.