Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Porto Alegre

For one person, living is cheaper in Porto Alegre: $196 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $30,100 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

$2,704

/mo nomad

Porto Alegre

🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe

$196

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Porto Alegre

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $196 in Porto Alegre.

Austin, TX $2,704
Porto Alegre $196

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $413 in Porto Alegre.

Austin, TX $4,133
Porto Alegre $413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $629 in Porto Alegre.

Austin, TX $5,562
Porto Alegre $629

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 1278% more expensive than in Porto Alegre, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Porto Alegre is 85% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$37.08 STN 810

129.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$5.55 STN 121

122.52%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.55 STN 55.6

114.51%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$1.08 STN 23.63

253.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.83 STN 18.12

201.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.20 STN 48.11

266.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.05 STN 44.73

84.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.03 STN 22.52

215.53%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.23 STN 48.67

85.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$18.97 STN 415

-31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$12.16 STN 266

31.25%

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

$2.22 STN 48.45

341.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.11 STN 24.22

150.45%

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

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

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

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 Porto Alegre: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Porto Alegre

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Porto Alegre

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Porto Alegre

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Porto Alegre

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Porto Alegre

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Porto Alegre

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Porto Alegre

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $37.00 in Porto Alegre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $132 per month, with Porto Alegre cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇹 Porto Alegre

🕒 Local time

09:17 9:17 AM

14:17 2:17 PM

5 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

795

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Sao Tome and Principe Dobra STN Db

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 STN = 4.58 USD

100 STN = 4.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

STN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe Dobra (Db)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Sao Tome and Principe Dobra exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 21.85 STN (100 STN = 4.58 USD). 1 EUR = 24.48 STN (100 STN = 4.08 EUR).

STN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Porto Alegre 11,370 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Porto Alegre

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 Porto Alegre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Porto Alegre wins on cost – living expenses run 1278% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Porto Alegre the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,055 in Austin, TX and $294 in Porto Alegre 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.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $196 in Porto Alegre – a 1278% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 204% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $196 in Porto Alegre versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Porto Alegre but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Porto Alegre 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 Porto Alegre 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 Porto Alegre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1278% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.