Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sibiu

For one person, living is cheaper in Sibiu: $1,100 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Sibiu
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,100
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,100 in Sibiu.

  • Austin, TX $2,704
  • Sibiu $1,100

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,661 in Sibiu.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Sibiu $1,661

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $2,223 in Sibiu.

  • Austin, TX $5,562
  • Sibiu $2,223

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 146% more expensive than in Sibiu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Sibiu is 18% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 $20.22
$8.16 RON 38.60
147.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.0 $85.0
$41.87 RON 198
103.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 $12.35
$7.41 RON 35.04
66.67%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$3.19 RON 15.08
71.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$2.13 RON 10.06
79.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.75 RON 8.26
42.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 $8.06
$3.20 RON 15.13
151.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.99 $8.99
$4.01 RON 18.95
124.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.36 RON 6.44
-16.91%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 $3.78
$1.09 RON 5.14
246.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$1.34 RON 6.34
142.54%
Eggs
$4.14 $4.14
$3.39 RON 16.02
22.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$7.66 RON 36.23
70.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.31 $14.31
$5.83 RON 27.57
145.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$7.70 RON 36.44
107.27%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$1.16 RON 5.50
277.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.50 RON 7.09
-3.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$1.51 RON 7.13
200.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$2.53 RON 11.98
65.61%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 $2.63
$0.66 RON 3.11
298.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
$0.65 RON 3.06
263.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.00 RON 4.71
76.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$0.93 RON 4.40
132.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.81 $9.81
$5.88 RON 27.80
66.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.72 $14.72
$7.21 RON 34.12
104.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
$0.96 RON 4.55
189.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
$1.35 RON 6.36
157.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.72 RON 3.41
106.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.51 $40.51
$17.22 RON 81.4
135.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$0.96 RON 4.55
178.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$0.82 RON 3.87
92.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.29 $35.29
$8.54 RON 40.38
313.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.95 RON 9.24
-49.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$28.1K RON 132.7K
27.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$25.7K RON 121.4K
5.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$115 RON 545
90.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0 $58.0
$8.92 RON 42.19
550.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$12.41 RON 58.7
450.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.9 $57.9
$35.40 RON 167
63.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.82 $14.82
$14.09 RON 66.6
5.18%
Cinema Ticket
$14.13 $14.13
$6.63 RON 31.36
113.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
$449 RON 2,123
236.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$6,642 RON 31.4K
223.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 $51.7
$75.2 RON 356
-31.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.05 $44.05
$32.06 RON 152
37.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 $85.1
$87.4 RON 414
-2.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$88.0 RON 416
19.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,932 $1,932
$442 RON 2,091
337.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 $1,272
$411 RON 1,942
209.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,670 $3,670
$831 RON 3,931
341.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 $2,525
$590 RON 2,790
328.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,617 $7,617
$2,519 RON 11.9K
202.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,199 $3,199
$2,044 RON 9,669
56.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Sibiu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,105 $5,105
$1,123 RON 5,312
354.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
7.02
-3.28%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sibiu: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Sibiu
$411 67.7% $862
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$403
Sibiu
$192 52.2% $210
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Sibiu
$165 52.5% $183
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$346
Sibiu
$137 60.5% $209
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Sibiu
$127 1.2% $1.5
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Sibiu
$49 43.5% $38
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Sibiu
$25 55.9% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $442 in Sibiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 355% 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 $42.00 in Sibiu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $192 per month, with Sibiu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇷🇴 Sibiu
🕒 Local time
00:01 12:01 AM
08:01 8:01 AM
8 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
147,245
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.3 RON (1 RON = 0.189 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Sibiu 9,730 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Sibiu

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 Sibiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Sibiu?
Sibiu wins on cost – living expenses run 146% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sibiu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Sibiu?
Average pay runs 355% 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 Sibiu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $442 in Sibiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Sibiu?
All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,100 in Sibiu – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Sibiu?
A monthly transit pass in Sibiu runs roughly 135% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Austin, TX or in Sibiu?
At $1,100 in Sibiu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibiu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sibiu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Austin, TX or Sibiu?
Both work as nomad bases, but Sibiu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,100 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sibiu hard to pass up.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Sibiu?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Sibiu 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 Sibiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% 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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