Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,632 in Bethlehem, PA versus $2,715 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,718 in Bethlehem, PA versus $4,156 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,804 in Bethlehem, PA versus $5,596 in Austin, TX.

Living in Bethlehem, PA costs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bethlehem, PA 92% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.05 $18.05

$19.66 $19.66

-8.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.97 $49.97

$84.6 $84.6

-40.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 $13.15

$12.30 $12.30

6.91%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$5.45 $5.45

-0.55%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$3.62 $3.62

-16.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.41 $2.41

-21.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 $5.16

$7.91 $7.91

-34.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.89 $8.89

-10.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.07 $1.07

4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.68 $3.68

7.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.34 $3.34

32.04%

Eggs

$4.12 $4.12

$4.29 $4.29

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$13.00 $13.00

-5.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.71 $16.71

$14.24 $14.24

17.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.30 $18.30

$16.68 $16.68

9.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.49 $4.49

10.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.42 $1.42

10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$4.59 $4.59

31.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.31 $7.31

$4.67 $4.67

56.53%

Potato (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.71 $2.71

106.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.58 $2.58

16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.89 $1.89

41.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.19 $2.19

-15.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.78 $9.78

$10.04 $10.04

-2.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 $17.65

$15.08 $15.08

17.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.92 $2.92

-33.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.29 $3.29

-0.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.53 $1.53

25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.52 $41.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.70 $2.70

14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.65 $1.65

-3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.58 $25.58

$35.05 $35.05

-27.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.89 $0.89

12.36%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$36.4K $36.4K

1.06%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$27.1K $27.1K

0.76%

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

$202 $202

$223 $223

-9.26%

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

$64.8 $64.8

$57.4 $57.4

12.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.4 $77.4

$68.3 $68.3

13.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.01 $37.01

$65.6 $65.6

-43.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.61 $14.61

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 $14.87

$13.95 $13.95

6.59%

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

$1,005 $1,005

$1,523 $1,523

-34.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K $22.9K

$21.4K $21.4K

7.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

$53.1 $53.1

0.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.03 $30.03

$42.81 $42.81

-29.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 $67.4

$85.3 $85.3

-21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 $86.3

$103 $103

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 $1,551

$1,948 $1,948

-20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 $1,344

$1,267 $1,267

6.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

$3,765 $3,765

-40.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 $2,108

$2,553 $2,553

-17.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,154 $2,154

$7,179 $7,179

-70.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,123 $2,123

$3,140 $3,140

-32.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,608 $3,608

$4,955 $4,955

-27.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.47

0.46%

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

Last update for Bethlehem, PA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,551 in Bethlehem, PA and $1,948 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 37% 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: $50.0 in Bethlehem, PA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $462 vs $409, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Bethlehem, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bethlehem, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,551 in Bethlehem, PA versus $1,948 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,005 in Bethlehem, PA versus $1,523 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bethlehem, PA – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bethlehem, PA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bethlehem, PA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,632 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bethlehem, PA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bethlehem, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.