Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Saku

For one person, living is cheaper in Saku: $1,099 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Saku
🇪🇪 Estonia
$1,099
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,099 in Saku.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Saku $1,099

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,717 in Saku.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Saku $1,717

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,335 in Saku.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Saku $2,335

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 142% more expensive than in Saku, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Saku is 19% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$16.76 €14.91
23.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$70.7 €62.9
19.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$11.11 €9.88
10.89%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.97 €3.53
41.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.23 €1.98
66.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$2.24 €2.00
11.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$6.54 €5.82
23.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$6.87 €6.11
31.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.13 €1.00
-0.88%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.40 €1.25
167.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.38 €2.11
36.97%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$2.88 €2.56
44.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$11.22 €9.98
14.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$8.72 €7.76
62.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$14.88 €13.24
9.01%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.03 €1.81
113.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.44 €1.28
1.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.54 €2.26
77.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.92 €2.60
48.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$0.74 €0.66
248.65%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$0.76 €0.68
209.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.87 €1.67
-4.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.97 €0.86
128.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$6.54 €5.82
51.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$9.88 €8.79
52.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.86 €1.66
56.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.12 €1.88
63.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.51 €3.12
-22.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$0.98 €0.87
69.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$26.71 €23.75
32.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$2.01 €1.79
-52.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$27.7K €24.6K
30.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$30.6K €27.2K
-11.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$301 €268
-24.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$17.48 €15.55
239.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$32.69 €29.07
113.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$11.71 €10.42
21.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$438 €390
243.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$9,942 €8,844
115.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$100 €89.0
-47.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$48.96 €43.55
-10.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$103 €91.9
-17.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$121 €108
-15.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$4,013 €3,570
89.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$2,700 €2,402
16.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Saku
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$1,813 €1,613
182.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.44
97.38%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Saku: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Saku
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Saku
$268 33.8% $137
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Saku
$352 1.9% $6.7
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Saku
$279 21.1% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Saku
$168 31.3% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Saku
$23 * 72.7% $62
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Saku
$8.4 * 85.7% $50

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

Cost Breakdown

Austin, TX pays 182% 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 $71.0 in Saku for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $268 per month, with Saku cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇪🇪 Saku
🕒 Local time
16:44 4:44 PM
00:44 12:44 AM
8 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
4,548
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Saku 8,740 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Saku

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 Saku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Saku?
Saku wins on cost – living expenses run 142% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Saku the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Saku?
Average pay runs 182% 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 do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Saku?
Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $438 in Saku. 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 Saku?
Dining out is cheaper in Saku – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Austin, TX or in Saku?
At $1,099 in Saku versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saku but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Saku the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Saku?
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 Saku?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Saku 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 Saku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% 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

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?