Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlton and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Carlton: $2,287 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Carlton
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Carlton Living Index
130

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

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Carlton

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,287

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,287 in Carlton versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Carlton $2,287
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,321 in Carlton versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Carlton $3,321
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,355 in Carlton versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Carlton $4,355
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Carlton costs roughly 14% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Carlton 69% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 A$25.48

$20.77 $20.77

-14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 A$98.9

$84.6 $84.6

-18.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 A$14.34

$12.32 $12.32

-19.16%

Cappuccino

$2.92 A$4.21

$5.63 $5.63

-48.13%

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

$2.63 A$3.78

$3.72 $3.72

-29.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$3.06

$2.50 $2.50

-14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.76 A$9.73

$8.05 $8.05

-16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 A$9.41

$9.01 $9.01

-27.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 A$1.90

$1.12 $1.12

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 A$2.95

$3.75 $3.75

-45.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 A$1.90

$3.26 $3.26

-59.51%

Eggs

$3.20 A$4.60

$4.17 $4.17

-23.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 A$14.79

$12.90 $12.90

-20.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.99 A$14.38

$14.16 $14.16

-29.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 A$21.98

$16.22 $16.22

-5.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.78

$4.33 $4.33

-23.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.05

$1.46 $1.46

92.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 A$4.60

$4.51 $4.51

-29.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 A$6.44

$4.34 $4.34

3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.54

$2.58 $2.58

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 A$3.19

$2.35 $2.35

-5.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 A$3.07

$1.78 $1.78

19.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 A$1.29

$2.22 $2.22

-59.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.25 A$36.33

$9.88 $9.88

155.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 A$15.28

$15.08 $15.08

-29.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.74 A$8.26

$2.92 $2.92

96.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.37

$3.46 $3.46

47.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 A$4.38

$1.49 $1.49

104.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 A$116

$41.72 $41.72

93.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.36

$2.73 $2.73

36.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 A$1.82

$1.66 $1.66

-24.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.18 A$37.68

$35.30 $35.30

-25.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.95

$0.95 $0.95

43.16%

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

$18.4K A$26.5K

$36.0K $36.0K

-48.93%

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

$13.8K A$19.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

-48.92%

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

$89.5 A$129

$229 $229

-60.90%

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

$27.31 A$39.31

$59.4 $59.4

-54.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.80 A$65.9

$69.9 $69.9

-34.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.60 A$45.47

$57.2 $57.2

-44.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.32 A$24.92

$16.33 $16.33

6.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 A$18.64

$14.28 $14.28

-9.24%

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

$2,061 A$2,965

$1,506 $1,506

36.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K A$18.1K

$21.5K $21.5K

-41.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.1 A$114

$52.8 $52.8

49.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.37 A$71.1

$43.82 $43.82

12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 A$101

$84.8 $84.8

-17.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$193

$103 $103

30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 A$2,001

$1,907 $1,907

-27.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 A$1,732

$1,274 $1,274

-5.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,150 A$3,093

$3,664 $3,664

-41.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 A$2,631

$2,538 $2,538

-27.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,647 A$8,126

$7,614 $7,614

-25.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,209 A$7,496

$3,157 $3,157

64.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,717 A$8,227

$5,121 $5,121

11.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

6.79

-13.11%

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

Last update for Carlton: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Carlton

$1.2K 52.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 5.9% $70

Groceries & Markets

Carlton

$338 14.8%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 19.6% $66

Eating Out

Carlton

$273 11.9%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 29.8% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Carlton

$163 7.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 120% $196

Clothing & Footwear

Carlton

$150 6.5%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 14.5% $22

Getting Around

Carlton

$103 4.5%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 43.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Carlton

$58 2.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 49.2% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,391 in Carlton and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlton pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Carlton vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $405 per month, with Carlton cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Carlton

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

07:07 7:07 AM

15:07 3:07 PM

16 h behind Carlton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,001

974,447

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 USD = 0.889 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 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

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Carlton Austin, TX 14,280 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Carlton
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

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

Carlton wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Carlton the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Carlton, 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: $1,391 in Carlton 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 $2,287 per month in Carlton versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Carlton runs roughly 94% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,287 in Carlton versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Carlton but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Carlton 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, Carlton 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 Carlton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.