Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sunshine Coast

For one person, living is cheaper in Sunshine Coast: $2,249 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 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
108

Cost of Living Index in Sunshine Coast
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Sunshine Coast Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Sunshine Coast

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,249

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Sunshine Coast

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,249 in Sunshine Coast.

Austin, TX $2,663
Sunshine Coast $2,249

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,383 in Sunshine Coast.

Austin, TX $4,133
Sunshine Coast $3,383

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,517 in Sunshine Coast.

Austin, TX $5,603
Sunshine Coast $4,517

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 18% more expensive than in Sunshine Coast, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Sunshine Coast 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$17.10 A$24.60

21.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$75.6 A$109

11.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.63 A$15.29

15.90%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.13 A$5.95

36.32%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.75 A$3.96

35.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.67 A$3.84

-6.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.85 A$11.29

2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$9.66 A$13.90

-6.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.31 A$1.89

-14.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.94 A$2.79

93.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.00 A$2.87

63.00%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.67 A$6.72

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$10.89 A$15.67

18.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$7.99 A$11.50

77.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$20.85 A$30.00

-22.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.08 A$4.43

40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.45 A$3.53

-40.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.05 A$4.39

47.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.01 A$5.77

8.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.05 A$2.95

25.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.61 A$2.32

45.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.25 A$3.24

-20.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.25 A$3.24

-1.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$46.90 A$67.5

-78.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.63 A$22.50

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.40 A$7.77

-45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$6.06 A$8.71

-42.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.42 A$2.05

4.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$40.59 A$58.4

2.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.12 A$3.04

28.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.61 A$2.32

3.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$36.11 A$52.0

-2.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.30 A$1.87

-26.92%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$31.4K A$45.2K

14.82%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$30.2K A$43.5K

-10.37%

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

$229 $229

$140 A$202

63.06%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$42.80 A$61.6

38.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$66.3 A$95.4

5.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$49.61 A$71.4

15.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$16.54 A$23.80

-1.27%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$15.38 A$22.13

-7.15%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$2,080 A$2,993

-27.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$63.5 A$91.3

-16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$111 A$160

-60.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$98.7 A$142

-14.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$99.9 A$144

3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,187 A$1,709

60.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,024 A$1,473

24.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,848 A$2,659

98.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,749 A$2,517

45.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$5,633 A$8,106

35.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$5,228 A$7,523

-39.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,483 A$5,012

47.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.75

18.09%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Sunshine Coast

$1K 45.5% 19.7% $250

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Sunshine Coast

$373 16.6% 7.9% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Sunshine Coast

$250 11.1% 30.4% $109

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Sunshine Coast

$299 13.3% 15.6% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Sunshine Coast

$168 7.5% 31.2% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Sunshine Coast

$80 3.6% 6.3% $5.4

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Sunshine Coast

$56 2.5% 3.8% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,187 in Sunshine Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 47% 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 $76.0 in Sunshine Coast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $373 per month, with Sunshine Coast cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇦🇺 Sunshine Coast

🕒 Local time

14:58 2:58 PM

05:58 5:58 AM

15 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

284,131

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 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 →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Sunshine Coast 13,190 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Sunshine Coast

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 Sunshine Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sunshine Coast wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sunshine Coast the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 47% 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 $1,187 in Sunshine Coast. 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 $2,249 in Sunshine Coast – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sunshine Coast runs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,249 in Sunshine Coast versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Sunshine Coast but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.