Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Southern Cross

For one person, living is cheaper in Southern Cross: $2,347 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 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
120

Cost of Living Index in Southern Cross
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Southern Cross Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Southern Cross

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,347

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Southern Cross

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,347 in Southern Cross.

Austin, TX $2,663
Southern Cross $2,347

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,547 in Southern Cross.

Austin, TX $4,133
Southern Cross $3,547

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,747 in Southern Cross.

Austin, TX $5,603
Southern Cross $4,747

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 13% more expensive than in Southern Cross, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Southern Cross 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$19.67 A$28.30

5.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$61.9 A$89.1

36.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.52 A$15.13

17.11%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.57 A$5.14

57.70%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.47 A$3.55

50.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.70 A$2.44

47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.08 A$10.19

13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$8.22 A$11.83

9.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.57 A$2.26

-28.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.64 A$3.80

42.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.18 A$3.14

49.54%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.72 A$3.92

53.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$9.42 A$13.55

36.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.15 A$13.16

54.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$14.68 A$21.13

10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.83 A$5.51

13.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.11 A$4.48

-53.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.32 A$4.78

35.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.76 A$6.85

-8.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.83 A$4.07

-8.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.38 A$3.43

-1.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.40 A$3.46

-25.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.47 A$2.11

51.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$34.77 A$50.0

-71.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.03 A$20.19

7.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.63 A$6.67

-36.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.33 A$7.67

-35.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.70 A$3.88

-44.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$92.3 A$133

-54.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.00 A$4.32

-9.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.66 A$2.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$38.90 A$56.0

-9.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.25 A$1.80

-24.00%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$24.1K A$34.7K

49.46%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$28.1K A$40.5K

-3.75%

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

$229 $229

$201 A$289

14.11%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$28.18 A$40.56

110.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$56.8 A$81.7

23.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$49.78 A$71.6

14.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$17.91 A$25.77

-8.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$13.34 A$19.20

7.05%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$2,080 A$2,994

-27.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$18.0K A$25.9K

19.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$81.0 A$116

-34.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$57.1 A$82.2

-23.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$98.1 A$141

-13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$132 A$190

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,265 A$1,821

50.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,047 A$1,507

21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,210 A$3,180

65.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,939 A$2,790

30.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$5,734 A$8,251

32.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$5,261 A$7,571

-39.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$7,010 A$10.1K

-26.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.25

8.64%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Southern Cross: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Southern Cross

$1K 44.6% 17.8% $227

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Southern Cross

$357 15.2% 11.8% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Southern Cross

$286 12.2% 20.3% $73

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Southern Cross

$300 12.8% 15.1% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Southern Cross

$166 7.1% 29.5% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Southern Cross

$76 3.3% 10.9% $9.3

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Southern Cross

$114 4.9% 95% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,265 in Southern Cross. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $62.0 in Southern Cross for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $357 per month, with Southern Cross cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇦🇺 Southern Cross

🕒 Local time

08:19 8:19 AM

21:19 9:19 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

700

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

AUD to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Southern Cross 16,490 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Southern Cross

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 Southern Cross: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Cross wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Southern Cross the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Southern Cross. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,265 in Southern Cross. 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 $2,347 in Southern Cross – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Southern Cross runs roughly 121% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,347 in Southern Cross versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Southern Cross but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.