Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sydney, NS

For one person, living is cheaper in Sydney, NS: $1,595 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 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
78

Cost of Living Index in Sydney, NS
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Sydney, NS Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Sydney, NS

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,595

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Sydney, NS

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,595 in Sydney, NS.

Austin, TX $2,663
Sydney, NS $1,595

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,519 in Sydney, NS.

Austin, TX $4,133
Sydney, NS $2,519

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,443 in Sydney, NS.

Austin, TX $5,603
Sydney, NS $3,443

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 67% more expensive than in Sydney, NS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Sydney, NS 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$11.02 CA$15.57

88.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$63.5 CA$89.7

33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$7.36 CA$10.40

67.39%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.84 CA$4.02

98.24%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.29 CA$3.23

62.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.06 CA$2.91

21.36%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.48 CA$3.51

51.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.41 CA$3.41

35.27%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.19 CA$4.50

30.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$6.29 CA$8.89

105.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$8.04 CA$11.36

76.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.06 CA$18.47

24.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$7.04 CA$9.96

-38.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.19 CA$1.68

22.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.43 CA$2.02

203.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.78 CA$1.10

230.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.95 CA$2.76

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$6.41 CA$9.06

-72.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$17.79 CA$25.15

-44.46%

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

$4.21 CA$5.96

-17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.08 CA$1.53

37.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$47.58 CA$67.3

-12.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.10 CA$5.80

-33.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.17 CA$1.66

-18.80%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$25.6K CA$36.2K

40.77%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$19.0K CA$26.9K

42.28%

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

$229 $229

$88.1 CA$124

160.04%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$34.80 CA$49.20

70.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$73.5 CA$104

-4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$47.87 CA$67.7

19.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$3.40 CA$4.80

380.29%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$6.93 CA$9.80

106.06%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$698 CA$987

115.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$67.6 CA$95.6

-21.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$66.2 CA$93.6

-33.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$99.2 CA$140

-14.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$105 CA$149

-2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$900 CA$1,273

111.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$709 CA$1,002

79.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,770 CA$2,503

107.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,367 CA$1,932

85.72%

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

$2,501 CA$3,536

104.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.8

17.07%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sydney, NS: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Sydney, NS

$709 44.5% 44.3% $565

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Sydney, NS

$258 * 16.2% 36.3% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Sydney, NS

$196 12.3% 45.2% $162

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Sydney, NS

$162 * 10.1% 54.3% $192

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Sydney, NS

$152 9.5% 18.9% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Sydney, NS

$62 3.9% 28% $24

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Sydney, NS

$56 * 3.5% 4.6% $2.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $900 in Sydney, NS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 105% 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 $63.0 in Sydney, NS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $258 per month, with Sydney, NS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇦 Sydney, NS

🕒 Local time

13:47 1:47 PM

15:47 3:47 PM

2 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

30,960

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Sydney, NS 3,680 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Sydney, NS

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 Sydney, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney, NS wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sydney, NS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 105% 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 $900 in Sydney, NS. 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 $1,595 in Sydney, NS – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sydney, NS runs roughly 14% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,595 in Sydney, NS versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sydney, NS but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sydney, NS 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.

Expats usually find Sydney, NS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.