Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sala

For one person, living is cheaper in Sala: $1,530 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
75

Cost of Living Index in Sala
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Sala Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Sala

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,530

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,530 in Sala.

Austin, TX $2,663
Sala $1,530

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,260 in Sala.

Austin, TX $4,133
Sala $2,260

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,989 in Sala.

Austin, TX $5,603
Sala $2,989

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 74% more expensive than in Sala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Sala 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$11.75 SEK 116

76.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$58.6 SEK 581

44.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.45 SEK 93.6

30.37%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.17 SEK 31.39

77.60%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.75 SEK 17.38

112.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.15 SEK 21.35

16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.94 SEK 68.7

15.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.93 SEK 68.7

30.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.66 SEK 16.45

-32.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.54 SEK 25.16

47.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.48 SEK 34.45

-6.32%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$5.29 SEK 52.5

-21.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$11.10 SEK 110

16.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$12.95 SEK 128

9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$22.02 SEK 218

-26.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.87 SEK 28.42

50.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.66 SEK 26.39

-45.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.59 SEK 25.65

74.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.79 SEK 47.50

-9.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.46 SEK 14.46

76.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.14 SEK 11.29

106.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.57 SEK 25.51

-30.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.01 SEK 10.02

119.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$6.88 SEK 68.2

43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$6.10 SEK 60.5

147.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.89 SEK 18.76

54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.76 SEK 17.47

96.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.90 SEK 28.75

-48.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$21.18 SEK 210

96.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$5.90 SEK 58.5

-53.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.69 SEK 16.73

-1.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$79.0 SEK 782

-55.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.73 SEK 17.13

-45.09%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$32.5K SEK 322.3K

10.82%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$33.1K SEK 327.9K

-18.19%

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

$229 $229

$177 SEK 1,752

29.53%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$19.96 SEK 198

197.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$38.76 SEK 384

80.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$45.97 SEK 456

24.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$20.24 SEK 201

-19.32%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$16.13 SEK 160

-11.47%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$213 SEK 2,111

606.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$1,194 SEK 11.8K

1697.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$44.45 SEK 440

18.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$34.80 SEK 345

25.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$51.9 SEK 514

63.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$54.0 SEK 535

90.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$705 SEK 6,989

170.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$501 SEK 4,966

154.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$930 SEK 9,217

293.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$684 SEK 6,782

270.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$4,018 SEK 39.8K

89.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,838 SEK 28.1K

11.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$2,422 SEK 24.0K

111.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

2.8

142.50%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sala: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Sala

$501 32.8% 60.7% $773

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Sala

$360 23.5% 11% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Sala

$236 15.4% 34.3% $123

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Sala

$225 14.7% 36.5% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Sala

$83 5.4% 34.9% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Sala

$78 5.1% 8.8% $7.6

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Sala

$47 3.1% 19.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $705 in Sala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 111% 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 Sala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $360 per month, with Sala cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇪 Sala

🕒 Local time

07:29 7:29 AM

14:29 2:29 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

22,994

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

SEK to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Sala 8,340 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Sala

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 Sala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sala wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 111% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $705 in Sala. 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 $1,530 in Sala – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sala runs roughly 97% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,530 in Sala versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sala but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sala 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 Sala 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 Sala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.