Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Zărnești

For one person, living is cheaper in Zărnești: $889 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,700 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
44

Cost of Living Index in Zărnești
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Zărnești Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Zărnești

🇷🇴 Romania

$889

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $889 in Zărnești.

Austin, TX $2,698
Zărnești $889

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,383 in Zărnești.

Austin, TX $4,160
Zărnești $1,383

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $1,877 in Zărnești.

Austin, TX $5,622
Zărnești $1,877

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 203% more expensive than in Zărnești, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Zărnești is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$9.00 RON 42.60

129.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$42.40 RON 201

99.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$8.36 RON 39.57

44.38%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.18 RON 10.34

151.38%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.46 RON 6.90

160.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.20 RON 5.66

105.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.90 RON 9.00

323.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$2.28 RON 10.79

289.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.27 RON 6.02

-12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.07 RON 5.06

247.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.44 RON 6.81

134.03%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.79 RON 13.20

54.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$7.89 RON 37.33

66.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$4.74 RON 22.42

198.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$10.40 RON 49.21

57.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$0.93 RON 4.41

389.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.33 RON 6.30

9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.27 RON 6.02

270.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.28 RON 6.06

224.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.78 RON 3.67

230.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.52 RON 2.45

351.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.80 RON 3.80

121.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.77 RON 3.63

177.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$5.15 RON 24.37

96.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$7.42 RON 35.09

104.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.07 RON 5.08

163.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.29 RON 6.12

166.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.70 RON 3.32

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$21.32 RON 101

92.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$0.88 RON 4.15

218.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.86 RON 4.05

86.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$7.45 RON 35.26

360.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.51 RON 7.16

-37.75%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$28.5K RON 134.9K

19.19%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K RON 122.9K

3.04%

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

$223 $223

$99.0 RON 468

125.01%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$9.28 RON 43.89

534.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$8.00 RON 37.86

782.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$37.82 RON 179

52.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$19.41 RON 91.9

-14.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$6.24 RON 29.55

128.53%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$429 RON 2,031

251.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$7,733 RON 36.6K

170.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$44.43 RON 210

15.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$27.26 RON 129

62.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$68.9 RON 326

26.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$76.8 RON 363

35.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$434 RON 2,054

346.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$266 RON 1,258

394.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$576 RON 2,727

535.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$424 RON 2,008

504.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,751 RON 8,283

320.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,329 RON 6,288

135.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$510 RON 2,415

935.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

7.47

-9.10%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Zărnești

$266 29.9% 79.8% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Zărnești

$182 20.4% 55.3% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Zărnești

$116 13.1% 67% $236

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Zărnești

$148 16.7% 57.7% $202

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Zărnești

$98 11% 24.2% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Zărnești

$50 5.7% 41.6% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Zărnești

$29 3.3% 49.4% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $434 in Zărnești. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 936% 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 $42.00 in Zărnești for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $182 per month, with Zărnești cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇷🇴 Zărnești

🕒 Local time

17:04 5:04 PM

01:04 1:04 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

24,926

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

RON to USD in detail →

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Austin, TX Zărnești 9,820 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Zărnești

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 Zărnești: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zărnești wins on cost – living expenses run 203% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zărnești the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 936% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $434 in Zărnești. 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 $889 in Zărnești – a 203% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Zărnești runs roughly 92% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $889 in Zărnești versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zărnești but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Zărnești 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 Zărnești 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 Zărnești gentler on the wallet – expenses run 203% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.