Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Surat Thani

For one person, living is cheaper in Surat Thani: $775 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Surat Thani
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Surat Thani Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Surat Thani

🇹🇭 Thailand

$775

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Surat Thani

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $775 in Surat Thani.

Austin, TX $2,698
Surat Thani $775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,414 in Surat Thani.

Austin, TX $4,160
Surat Thani $1,414

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $2,053 in Surat Thani.

Austin, TX $5,622
Surat Thani $2,053

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 248% more expensive than in Surat Thani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Surat Thani is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$1.89 ฿63.0

991.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$17.87 ฿597

373.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$4.51 ฿151

167.63%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$1.50 ฿50.2

265.33%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$0.50 ฿16.68

660.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.29 ฿9.66

751.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.56 ฿85.4

214.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$3.69 ฿123

140.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.66 ฿55.4

-33.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.19 ฿39.89

212.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.17 ฿39.13

188.03%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$1.87 ฿62.4

131.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$19.18 ฿641

-31.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$3.33 ฿111

324.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$7.44 ฿249

119.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.91 ฿97.2

56.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.68 ฿56.3

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.76 ฿58.7

167.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.05 ฿68.4

102.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.30 ฿43.57

98.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.37 ฿45.90

71.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.11 ฿37.24

59.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.41 ฿13.66

421.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$3.07 ฿103

228.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$18.86 ฿630

-19.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.54 ฿51.6

83.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.82 ฿60.7

89.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.02 ฿34.00

50.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$20.95 ฿700

95.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.18 ฿39.50

137.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.63 ฿21.05

153.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$3.49 ฿117

883.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.16 ฿38.93

-18.97%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$26.6K ฿890.1K

27.59%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.3K ฿911.7K

-1.89%

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

$223 $223

$72.9 ฿2,437

205.33%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$11.12 ฿372

429.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$17.32 ฿579

307.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$48.24 ฿1,612

19.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$11.52 ฿385

43.49%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$4.53 ฿151

214.79%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$549 ฿18.3K

175.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$11.6K ฿386.5K

80.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$61.9 ฿2,070

-17.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$29.16 ฿974

51.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$97.3 ฿3,252

-10.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$86.5 ฿2,892

20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$237 ฿7,910

719.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$149 ฿4,985

782.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,150 ฿38.4K

218.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$709 ฿23.7K

261.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,226 ฿74.4K

230.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,404 ฿46.9K

122.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.57

21.90%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Surat Thani: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Surat Thani

$149 19.3% 88.7% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Surat Thani

$244 31.5% 39.8% $162

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Surat Thani

$101 13.1% 71.2% $251

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Surat Thani

$70 9% 80% $280

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Surat Thani

$124 16% 4.1% $5.3

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Surat Thani

$57 7.4% 33.6% $29

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Surat Thani

$29 3.8% 49.3% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $237 in Surat Thani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $18.00 in Surat Thani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $244 per month, with Surat Thani cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇹🇭 Surat Thani

🕒 Local time

20:29 8:29 PM

08:29 8:29 AM

12 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

132,040

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Surat Thani 15,270 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Surat Thani

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 Surat Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surat Thani wins on cost – living expenses run 248% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surat Thani the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,046 in Austin, TX and $1,163 in Surat Thani 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $237 in Surat Thani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $775 in Surat Thani – a 248% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Surat Thani runs roughly 96% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $775 in Surat Thani versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surat Thani but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 248% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.