Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bistrita and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Bistrita: $845 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Bistrita
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Bistrita Living Index
130

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

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Bistrita

🇷🇴 Romania

$845

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $845 in Bistrita versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Bistrita $845
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,288 in Bistrita versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Bistrita $1,288
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,730 in Bistrita versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Bistrita $1,730
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Bistrita costs roughly 68% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bistrita is 37% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 RON 29.44

$20.77 $20.77

-70.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.58 RON 149

$84.6 $84.6

-62.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 RON 29.28

$12.32 $12.32

-49.76%

Cappuccino

$2.23 RON 10.55

$5.63 $5.63

-60.39%

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

$1.56 RON 7.38

$3.72 $3.72

-58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.47

$2.50 $2.50

-45.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 10.06

$8.05 $8.05

-73.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 RON 15.09

$9.01 $9.01

-64.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 RON 5.82

$1.12 $1.12

9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 RON 4.95

$3.75 $3.75

-72.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.90

$3.26 $3.26

-68.10%

Eggs

$2.67 RON 12.62

$4.17 $4.17

-35.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 RON 30.08

$12.90 $12.90

-50.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 RON 29.47

$14.16 $14.16

-56.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 RON 53.0

$16.22 $16.22

-31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 RON 4.12

$4.33 $4.33

-79.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.88

$1.46 $1.46

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.57

$4.51 $4.51

-64.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 RON 9.78

$4.34 $4.34

-52.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.80

$2.58 $2.58

-68.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 RON 3.06

$2.35 $2.35

-72.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 RON 5.02

$1.78 $1.78

-40.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 RON 3.20

$2.22 $2.22

-69.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 RON 25.92

$9.88 $9.88

-44.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.15 RON 24.35

$15.08 $15.08

-65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.30

$2.92 $2.92

-68.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 5.11

$3.46 $3.46

-68.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 RON 1.90

$1.49 $1.49

-73.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.19 RON 100

$41.72 $41.72

-49.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.58

$2.73 $2.73

-72.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.55

$1.66 $1.66

-54.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 RON 34.88

$35.30 $35.30

-79.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.29

$0.95 $0.95

62.11%

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

$27.3K RON 129.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

-24.34%

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

$24.1K RON 114.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

-10.85%

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

$172 RON 812

$229 $229

-25.06%

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

$5.53 RON 26.16

$59.4 $59.4

-90.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.82 RON 27.54

$69.9 $69.9

-91.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.75 RON 188

$57.2 $57.2

-30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.96 RON 146

$16.33 $16.33

89.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 RON 29.33

$14.28 $14.28

-56.58%

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

$314 RON 1,485

$1,506 $1,506

-79.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,963 RON 42.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

-58.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 RON 179

$52.8 $52.8

-28.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.48 RON 125

$43.82 $43.82

-39.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 295

$84.8 $84.8

-26.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 RON 343

$103 $103

-29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 RON 1,055

$1,907 $1,907

-88.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 RON 875

$1,274 $1,274

-85.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 RON 1,868

$3,664 $3,664

-89.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,490

$2,538 $2,538

-87.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,510 RON 7,146

$7,614 $7,614

-80.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,175 RON 5,558

$3,157 $3,157

-62.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 RON 4,805

$5,121 $5,121

-80.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

6.79

-0.88%

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

Last update for Bistrita: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bistrita

$185 21.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 589% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Bistrita

$184 21.8%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 120% $220

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bistrita

$183 21.7%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 95.8% $175

Eating Out

Bistrita

$124 14.7%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 186% $230

Clothing & Footwear

Bistrita

$90 10.6%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 42.8% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Bistrita

$52 6.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 64.5% $34

Getting Around

Bistrita

$27 3.2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 115% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Bistrita and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 404% 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: $32.00 in Bistrita vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $405 per month, with Bistrita cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bistrita

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

00:38 12:38 AM

16:38 4:38 PM

8 h behind Bistrita

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

75,076

974,447

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bistrita Austin, TX 9,650 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Bistrita
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

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

Bistrita wins on cost – living expenses run 215% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bistrita the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 404% 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: $223 in Bistrita 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 $845 per month in Bistrita versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 215% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bistrita runs roughly 97% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $845 in Bistrita versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bistrita but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bistrita 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, Bistrita 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 Bistrita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.