Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandarawela and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandarawela: $490 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $26,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Bandarawela
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Bandarawela Living Index
130

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

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Bandarawela

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$490

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bandarawela 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 Bandarawela and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

Bandarawela $490
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $785 in Bandarawela versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Bandarawela $785
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,081 in Bandarawela versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Bandarawela $1,081
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Bandarawela costs roughly 82% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bandarawela is 64% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.34 LKR 444

$20.77 $20.77

-93.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.37 LKR 8,072

$84.6 $84.6

-71.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 LKR 2,576

$12.32 $12.32

-36.85%

Cappuccino

$1.49 LKR 493

$5.63 $5.63

-73.53%

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

$0.59 LKR 194

$3.72 $3.72

-84.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.1

$2.50 $2.50

-90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 744

$8.05 $8.05

-72.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LKR 814

$9.01 $9.01

-72.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 LKR 513

$1.12 $1.12

38.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 LKR 125

$3.75 $3.75

-89.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 LKR 199

$3.26 $3.26

-81.60%

Eggs

$1.12 LKR 370

$4.17 $4.17

-73.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 LKR 4,538

$12.90 $12.90

6.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 LKR 1,173

$14.16 $14.16

-75.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 LKR 2,492

$16.22 $16.22

-53.64%

Apples (1kg)

$6.66 LKR 2,205

$4.33 $4.33

53.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 LKR 195

$1.46 $1.46

-59.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 LKR 1,487

$4.51 $4.51

-0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 407

$4.34 $4.34

-71.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 298

$2.58 $2.58

-65.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 174

$2.35 $2.35

-77.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 296

$1.78 $1.78

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 156

$2.22 $2.22

-78.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 LKR 3,258

$9.88 $9.88

-0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.37 LKR 4,429

$15.08 $15.08

-11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 LKR 654

$2.92 $2.92

-32.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 LKR 1,010

$3.46 $3.46

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 51.6

$1.49 $1.49

-89.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$1.52 LKR 504

$41.72 $41.72

-96.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 124

$2.73 $2.73

-86.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 95.1

$1.66 $1.66

-82.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 LKR 142

$35.30 $35.30

-98.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 LKR 326

$0.95 $0.95

3.16%

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

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

$36.0K $36.0K

4.78%

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

$40.7K LKR 13.5M

$27.1K $27.1K

50.44%

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

$53.1 LKR 17.6K

$229 $229

-76.82%

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

$3.26 LKR 1,080

$59.4 $59.4

-94.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.17 LKR 2,042

$69.9 $69.9

-91.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.22 LKR 2,062

$57.2 $57.2

-89.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.51 LKR 1,493

$16.33 $16.33

-72.38%

Cinema Ticket

$2.44 LKR 808

$14.28 $14.28

-82.91%

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

$37.12 LKR 12.3K

$1,506 $1,506

-97.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,225 LKR 405.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

-94.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.24 LKR 6,043

$52.8 $52.8

-65.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.54 LKR 5,477

$43.82 $43.82

-62.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 LKR 26.1K

$84.8 $84.8

-6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.86 LKR 14.2K

$103 $103

-58.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.8 LKR 30.4K

$1,907 $1,907

-95.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$46.17 LKR 15.3K

$1,274 $1,274

-96.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 LKR 39.5K

$3,664 $3,664

-96.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.5 LKR 20.0K

$2,538 $2,538

-97.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

6.79

86.89%

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

Last update for Bandarawela: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Bandarawela

$224 45.8%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 80.5% $180

Eating Out

Bandarawela

$71 14.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 396% $282

Clothing & Footwear

Bandarawela

$70 14.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 81.7% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bandarawela

$63 12.8%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 473% $296

Accommodation & Living

Bandarawela

$46 9.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 2660% $1.2K

Sport & Entertainment

Bandarawela

$11 2.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 672% $75

Getting Around

Bandarawela

$4 0.8%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 1386% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.8 in Bandarawela and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Bandarawela vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $405 per month, with Bandarawela cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Bandarawela

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:28 11:28 AM

00:58 12:58 AM

10 h 30 min behind Bandarawela

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

974,447

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

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

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bandarawela Austin, TX 15,890 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Bandarawela
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

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

Bandarawela wins on cost – living expenses run 444% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandarawela the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $735 in Bandarawela 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: $91.8 in Bandarawela 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 $490 per month in Bandarawela versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 444% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bandarawela runs roughly 2645% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $490 in Bandarawela versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bandarawela but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bandarawela 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, Bandarawela 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 Bandarawela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 444% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.