Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Zakopane

For one person, living is cheaper in Zakopane: $1,490 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Zakopane
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Zakopane Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Zakopane

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,490

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,490 in Zakopane.

Austin, TX $2,663
Zakopane $1,490

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,250 in Zakopane.

Austin, TX $4,133
Zakopane $2,250

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,010 in Zakopane.

Austin, TX $5,603
Zakopane $3,010

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 79% more expensive than in Zakopane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Zakopane 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$8.30 zł 32.25

150.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$28.27 zł 110

199.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$8.30 zł 32.26

48.43%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.53 zł 13.70

59.49%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.63 zł 10.21

41.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.98 zł 7.69

26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.45 zł 9.51

228.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.47 zł 17.36

101.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.98 zł 3.80

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.20 zł 4.67

212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.24 zł 4.81

162.90%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.35 zł 9.14

77.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$6.61 zł 25.67

95.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$5.01 zł 19.47

182.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$5.24 zł 20.35

209.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$0.73 zł 2.82

493.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.38 zł 5.37

5.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.42 zł 5.52

217.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.50 zł 9.73

73.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.29 zł 1.15

789.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.89 zł 3.47

164.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.67 zł 2.59

165.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.59 zł 2.29

276.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.27 zł 16.59

131.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$4.67 zł 18.16

222.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.04 zł 4.04

180.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.55 zł 6.04

123.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.26 zł 4.89

18.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$43.21 zł 168

-3.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.52 zł 5.90

79.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.73 zł 2.85

127.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$5.05 zł 19.60

599.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.60 zł 6.20

-40.63%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$31.0K zł 120.6K

16.10%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.7K zł 92.2K

14.11%

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

$229 $229

$244 zł 949

-6.24%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$7.80 zł 30.30

661.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$17.08 zł 66.3

309.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$8.84 zł 34.35

547.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$13.61 zł 52.9

19.99%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$7.32 zł 28.43

95.08%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$310 zł 1,205

385.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$2,254 zł 8,759

851.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$53.9 zł 210

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$18.93 zł 73.6

131.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$50.3 zł 195

68.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$46.60 zł 181

121.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$727 zł 2,823

162.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$737 zł 2,864

72.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,278 zł 4,966

186.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,547 zł 6,010

64.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$5,876 zł 22.8K

29.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$5,888 zł 22.9K

-46.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,568 zł 6,091

226.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.5

4.46%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Zakopane: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Zakopane

$737 49.5% 42.1% $537

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Zakopane

$157 10.5% 61.2% $248

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Zakopane

$269 18.1% 24.9% $89

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Zakopane

$173 11.6% 51% $181

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Zakopane

$76 5.1% 40.3% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Zakopane

$23 1.6% 72.6% $62

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Zakopane

$53 3.6% 9% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $727 in Zakopane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 227% 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 $28.00 in Zakopane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $157 per month, with Zakopane cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇱 Zakopane

🕒 Local time

21:31 9:31 PM

04:31 4:31 AM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

26,662

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇱 Polish Złoty (zł)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

PLN to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Zakopane 9,240 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Zakopane

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 Zakopane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zakopane wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zakopane the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 227% 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 $727 in Zakopane. 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 $1,490 in Zakopane – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Zakopane runs roughly 4% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,490 in Zakopane versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zakopane but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Zakopane 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 Zakopane 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 Zakopane gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.