Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Serowe

For one person, living is cheaper in Serowe: $80.7 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $31,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Serowe

🇧🇼 Botswana

$80.7

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $80.7 in Serowe.

Austin, TX $2,663
Serowe $80.7

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $141 in Serowe.

Austin, TX $4,133
Serowe $141

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $201 in Serowe.

Austin, TX $5,603
Serowe $201

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 3201% more expensive than in Serowe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Serowe is 94% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

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

$3.72 $3.72

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.37 P 18.30

-18.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.10 P 14.71

240.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.71 P 22.83

143.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$4.01 P 53.6

304.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.34 P 17.87

223.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.08 P 14.39

35.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.64 P 21.94

164.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.43 P 19.13

80.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.40 P 18.74

67.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.72 P 9.66

208.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

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

$36.0K $36.0K

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

$27.1K $27.1K

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

$229 $229

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

$59.4 $59.4

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

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

$1,506 $1,506

$110 P 1,474

1265.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$1,776 P 23.7K

1108.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

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

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

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 12, 2026

Last update for Serowe: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Serowe

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Serowe

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Serowe

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Serowe

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Serowe

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Serowe

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Serowe

–

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇧🇼 Serowe

🕒 Local time

03:17 3:17 AM

10:17 10:17 AM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

47,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 BWP = 7.48 USD

100 BWP = 6.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇼 Botswana Pula (P)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 13.36 BWP (100 BWP = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 15.02 BWP (100 BWP = 6.66 EUR).

BWP to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Serowe 14,460 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Serowe

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 Serowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Serowe wins on cost – living expenses run 3201% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Serowe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $121 in Serowe 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 $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $80.7 in Serowe – a 3201% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 401% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $80.7 in Serowe versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Serowe but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Serowe 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 Serowe 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 Serowe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3201% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.