Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Varese

For one person, living is cheaper in Varese: $2,082 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Varese
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,082
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,082 in Varese.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Varese $2,082

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,466 in Varese.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Varese $3,466

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,849 in Varese.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Varese $4,849

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 28% more expensive than in Varese, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Varese 54% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$22.07 €19.63
-5.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$101 €89.9
-16.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$13.91 €12.37
-11.43%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.20 €1.95
155.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$3.50 €3.11
6.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.69 €1.51
47.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$6.56 €5.84
22.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$6.60 €5.87
36.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.71 €1.52
-34.50%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.59 €2.30
44.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$3.44 €3.06
-5.23%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$5.11 €4.55
-18.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$31.18 €27.73
-58.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$12.83 €11.41
10.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$27.34 €24.32
-40.67%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.82 €2.51
53.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.79 €2.48
-47.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.94 €2.62
53.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$3.27 €2.91
32.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.60 €2.31
-0.77%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.23 €1.98
5.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.31 €2.05
-22.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.63 €0.56
252.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$8.01 €7.12
23.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$8.74 €7.78
72.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.67 €1.48
74.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.62 €1.44
113.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.57 €2.29
-42.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$49.71 €44.21
-16.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$5.60 €4.98
-51.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.28 €2.03
-27.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$39.25 €34.92
-10.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$2.14 €1.90
-55.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$36.5K €32.5K
-1.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$34.4K €30.6K
-21.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$220 €196
3.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$12.94 €11.51
358.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$32.30 €28.73
116.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$55.0 €48.89
4.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$24.63 €21.91
-33.70%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$11.17 €9.94
27.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$733 €652
105.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$7,069 €6,288
203.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$107 €95.3
-50.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$56.7 €50.5
-22.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$131 €117
-35.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$166 €148
-38.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$942 €838
102.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$709 €631
79.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,718 €1,528
113.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,603 €1,426
58.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$2,525 €2,246
201.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$1,707 €1,519
84.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Varese
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$2,391 €2,127
114.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.73
82.04%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Varese: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Varese
$709 44.3% $565
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Varese
$434 7.3% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Varese
$266 25.9% $93
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Varese
$311 12% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Varese
$208 62.3% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Varese
$77 9.9% $8.5
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Varese
$77 31.2% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $942 in Varese. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 114% 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 $101 in Varese for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $434 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇮🇹 Varese
🕒 Local time
10:32 10:32 AM
17:32 5:32 PM
7 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
80,511
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Varese 8,790 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Varese

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 Varese: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Varese?
Varese wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Varese the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Varese?
Average pay runs 114% 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 Varese?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $942 in Varese. 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 Varese?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,082 in Varese – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Varese?
A monthly transit pass in Varese runs roughly 19% 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 Varese?
At $2,082 in Varese versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varese but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Varese the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Varese?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Varese?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Varese 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 Varese gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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