Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Takamatsu

For one person, living is cheaper in Takamatsu: $1,191 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Takamatsu
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,191
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,191 in Takamatsu.

  • Austin, TX $2,698
  • Takamatsu $1,191

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,881 in Takamatsu.

  • Austin, TX $4,160
  • Takamatsu $1,881

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $2,571 in Takamatsu.

  • Austin, TX $5,622
  • Takamatsu $2,571

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 126% more expensive than in Takamatsu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Takamatsu is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.63 $20.63
$6.20 ¥980
232.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$31.99 ¥5,054
164.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.07 $12.07
$5.12 ¥809
135.74%
Cappuccino
$5.48 $5.48
$3.13 ¥495
75.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 $3.80
$1.19 ¥189
219.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$0.80 ¥126
208.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$2.60 ¥410
209.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.88 $8.88
$3.22 ¥508
175.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.50 ¥238
-26.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$1.60 ¥252
132.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.37 $3.37
$1.76 ¥278
91.48%
Eggs
$4.32 $4.32
$2.29 ¥361
88.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.13 $13.13
$10.37 ¥1,639
26.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.15 $14.15
$6.60 ¥1,043
114.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.33 $16.33
$16.83 ¥2,659
-2.97%
Apples (1kg)
$4.55 $4.55
$3.69 ¥583
23.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.28 ¥360
-35.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.71 $4.71
$2.90 ¥458
62.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$4.24 ¥671
-2.12%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.48 ¥391
4.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.46 ¥389
-4.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.27 ¥201
39.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$0.79 ¥124
170.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.10 $10.10
$3.67 ¥580
175.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.19 $15.19
$6.63 ¥1,048
129.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.88 ¥298
50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 $3.44
$2.11 ¥333
63.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.46 ¥231
5.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.99 $40.99
$53.3 ¥8,414
-23.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.80 $2.80
$3.18 ¥503
-11.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.79 ¥442
-42.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.34 $34.34
$18.60 ¥2,938
84.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.06 ¥168
-11.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K $34.0K
$21.5K ¥3.4M
58.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$15.1K ¥2.4M
77.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$137 ¥21.6K
62.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9 $58.9
$23.78 ¥3,757
147.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$30.79 ¥4,865
129.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.7 $57.7
$51.7 ¥8,161
11.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53 $16.53
$3.11 ¥491
431.51%
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 $14.26
$11.79 ¥1,862
20.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,511 $1,511
$521 ¥82.3K
190.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.9K $20.9K
$12.7K ¥2.0M
65.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$48.96 ¥7,736
4.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.17 $44.17
$31.24 ¥4,936
41.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 $87.0
$60.1 ¥9,499
44.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$90.5 ¥14.3K
15.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,940 $1,940
$529 ¥83.6K
266.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,316 $1,316
$334 ¥52.8K
293.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,089 ¥172.0K
236.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,565 $2,565
$735 ¥116.1K
249.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,354 $7,354
$4,144 ¥654.7K
77.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,129 $3,129
$1,783 ¥281.6K
75.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Takamatsu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,286 $5,286
$1,761 ¥278.1K
200.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
2.21
207.24%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Takamatsu: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Takamatsu
$334 74.6% $982
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$406
Takamatsu
$280 30.9% $125
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$352
Takamatsu
$191 45.7% $161
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$350
Takamatsu
$130 62.9% $220
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Takamatsu
$104 19.5% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Takamatsu
$75 12.7% $11
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$58
Takamatsu
$76 31.7% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $529 in Takamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 200% 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 $32.00 in Takamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $280 per month, with Takamatsu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇯🇵 Takamatsu
🕒 Local time
23:11 11:11 PM
13:11 1:11 PM
14 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
426,514
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Takamatsu 11,010 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Takamatsu

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 Takamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Takamatsu?
Takamatsu wins on cost – living expenses run 126% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Takamatsu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Takamatsu?
Average pay runs 200% 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 Takamatsu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $529 in Takamatsu. 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 Takamatsu?
All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,191 in Takamatsu – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Takamatsu?
A monthly transit pass in Takamatsu runs roughly 30% 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 $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Takamatsu?
At $1,191 in Takamatsu versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Takamatsu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Takamatsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Austin, TX or Takamatsu?
Both work as nomad bases, but Takamatsu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,191 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Takamatsu hard to pass up.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Takamatsu?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Takamatsu 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 Takamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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