Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Quarteira

For one person, living is cheaper in Quarteira: $1,720 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Quarteira
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,720
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,720 in Quarteira.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Quarteira $1,720

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,512 in Quarteira.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Quarteira $2,512

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,304 in Quarteira.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Quarteira $3,304

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 55% more expensive than in Quarteira, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Quarteira 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$13.70 €12.19
51.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$59.2 €52.6
42.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$10.99 €9.78
12.10%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$1.84 €1.63
205.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.25 €2.00
65.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.64 €1.46
52.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$2.82 €2.51
185.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$2.44 €2.17
269.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.01 €0.90
10.89%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.50 €1.33
150.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.47 €1.31
121.77%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$3.52 €3.13
18.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$12.55 €11.17
2.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$6.17 €5.49
129.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$11.41 €10.15
42.16%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.16 €1.92
100.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.42 €1.27
2.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.85 €1.64
143.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.51 €2.23
72.91%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.83 €1.63
40.98%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.95 €1.74
20.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.41 €1.26
26.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.84 €0.74
164.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$6.38 €5.68
54.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$4.98 €4.43
202.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$0.97 €0.86
201.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.06 €1.83
67.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$5.20 €4.62
-71.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.77 €3.35
-27.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.08 €0.96
53.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$16.48 €14.66
114.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$2.09 €1.86
-54.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$33.9K €30.2K
6.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$38.2K €34.0K
-29.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$163 €145
40.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$19.17 €17.05
209.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$34.28 €30.50
103.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$87.9 €78.2
-34.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$9.87 €8.78
44.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$452 €402
233.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$10.9K €9,700
96.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$71.5 €63.6
-26.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$44.65 €39.72
-1.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$103 €91.9
-17.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$119 €106
-13.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$852 €758
123.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$784 €697
62.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,436 €1,278
155.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,201 €1,068
111.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Quarteira
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$1,323 €1,177
287.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.57
90.20%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Quarteira: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Quarteira
$784 38.5% $490
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Quarteira
$231 42.9% $174
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Quarteira
$216 39.7% $142
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Quarteira
$199 43.7% $155
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Quarteira
$152 19% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Quarteira
$108 25.5% $22
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Quarteira
$30 * 49% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $852 in Quarteira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 287% 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 $59.0 in Quarteira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $231 per month, with Quarteira cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇵🇹 Quarteira
🕒 Local time
22:35 10:35 PM
04:35 4:35 AM
6 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
24,421
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Quarteira 8,010 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Quarteira

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 Quarteira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Quarteira?
Quarteira wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quarteira the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Quarteira?
Average pay runs 287% 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 Quarteira?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $852 in Quarteira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Quarteira?
Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $452 in Quarteira. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Quarteira?
Dining out is cheaper in Quarteira – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Quarteira?
At $1,720 in Quarteira versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quarteira but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Quarteira the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Quarteira?
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 Quarteira?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Quarteira 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 Quarteira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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