Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballina and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Ballina: $2,462 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Ballina
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Ballina Living Index
130

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

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Ballina

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,462

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ballina and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Ballina versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Ballina $2,462
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,724 in Ballina versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Ballina $3,724
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,986 in Ballina versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Ballina $4,986
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Ballina costs roughly 8% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ballina 82% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 A$24.93

$20.77 $20.77

-16.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 A$119

$84.6 $84.6

-2.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 A$13.19

$12.32 $12.32

-25.57%

Cappuccino

$3.90 A$5.61

$5.63 $5.63

-30.73%

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

$2.84 A$4.08

$3.72 $3.72

-23.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 A$3.27

$2.50 $2.50

-9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.59 A$10.93

$8.05 $8.05

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 A$10.71

$9.01 $9.01

-17.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 A$3.82

$1.12 $1.12

137.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 A$4.67

$3.75 $3.75

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 A$3.14

$3.26 $3.26

-33.13%

Eggs

$5.69 A$8.18

$4.17 $4.17

36.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 A$9.15

$12.90 $12.90

-50.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 A$13.20

$14.16 $14.16

-35.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.05 A$21.66

$16.22 $16.22

-7.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 A$5.07

$4.33 $4.33

-18.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.47

$1.46 $1.46

113.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.59

$4.51 $4.51

-29.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 A$5.02

$4.34 $4.34

-19.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 A$3.87

$2.58 $2.58

4.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.35

$2.35 $2.35

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.54 A$5.10

$1.78 $1.78

98.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.20

$2.22 $2.22

-31.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.38 A$61.0

$9.88 $9.88

328.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 A$20.10

$15.08 $15.08

-7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.81 A$6.93

$2.92 $2.92

64.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.41

$3.46 $3.46

48.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 A$4.75

$1.49 $1.49

121.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.7 A$133

$41.72 $41.72

122.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$5.09

$2.73 $2.73

29.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 A$2.44

$1.66 $1.66

2.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.11 A$56.3

$35.30 $35.30

10.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.80

$0.95 $0.95

31.58%

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

$26.8K A$38.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

-25.63%

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

$33.0K A$47.4K

$27.1K $27.1K

21.71%

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

$216 A$311

$229 $229

-5.72%

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

$31.56 A$45.42

$59.4 $59.4

-46.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.28 A$70.9

$69.9 $69.9

-29.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$88.0

$57.2 $57.2

6.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.31 A$24.91

$16.33 $16.33

6.00%

Cinema Ticket

$15.89 A$22.86

$14.28 $14.28

11.27%

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

$1,912 A$2,752

$1,506 $1,506

26.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K A$32.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

4.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 A$116

$52.8 $52.8

52.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 A$79.9

$43.82 $43.82

26.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$147

$84.8 $84.8

20.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$195

$103 $103

31.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,218

$1,907 $1,907

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 A$1,620

$1,274 $1,274

-11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 A$2,933

$3,664 $3,664

-44.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 A$2,880

$2,538 $2,538

-21.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,245 A$8,987

$7,614 $7,614

-17.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,569 A$6,575

$3,157 $3,157

44.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.79

-13.99%

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

Last update for Ballina: October 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ballina

$1.1K 45.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 13.2% $149

Groceries & Markets

Ballina

$375 15.2%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 8% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ballina

$297 12.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 20.7% $62

Eating Out

Ballina

$286 11.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 23.6% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Ballina

$168 6.8%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 23.9% $40

Getting Around

Ballina

$118 4.8%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 50.2% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Ballina

$93 3.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 7.6% $7.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,541 in Ballina and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $83.0 in Ballina vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $405 per month, with Ballina cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Ballina

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

01:47 1:47 AM

09:47 9:47 AM

16 h behind Ballina

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,911

974,447

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

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

USD to AUD in detail →

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Between locations

Ballina Austin, TX 13,250 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Ballina
Austin, TX

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

Ballina vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballina wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ballina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,693 in Ballina and $3,995 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,541 in Ballina versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Ballina versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ballina runs roughly 122% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Ballina is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Ballina and Austin, TX 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 Ballina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.