Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Genk and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Genk: $1,812 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Genk
🇧🇪 Belgium
$1,812
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,812 in Genk versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Genk $1,812
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,755 in Genk versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Genk $2,755
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,698 in Genk versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Genk $3,698
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Genk costs roughly 32% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Genk 34% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.46 €19.98
$20.77 $20.77
8.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.3 €78.5
$84.6 $84.6
4.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.46 €11.97
$12.32 $12.32
9.25%
Cappuccino
$4.10 €3.65
$5.63 $5.63
-27.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 €2.24
$3.72 $3.72
-32.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.94
$2.50 $2.50
-12.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.52 €4.02
$8.05 $8.05
-43.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 €3.56
$9.01 $9.01
-55.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 €0.84
$1.12 $1.12
-16.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.80 €2.49
$3.75 $3.75
-25.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 €1.99
$3.26 $3.26
-31.29%
Eggs
$3.73 €3.32
$4.17 $4.17
-10.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.92 €7.93
$12.90 $12.90
-30.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.31 €6.50
$14.16 $14.16
-48.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.22 €9.98
$16.22 $16.22
-30.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.42 €2.16
$4.33 $4.33
-44.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 €2.09
$1.46 $1.46
60.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.61 €2.32
$4.51 $4.51
-42.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.89 €2.57
$4.34 $4.34
-33.41%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 €2.16
$2.58 $2.58
-5.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.35 $2.35
-20.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 €1.35
$1.78 $1.78
-14.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 €0.90
$2.22 $2.22
-54.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.92 €11.49
$9.88 $9.88
30.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.11 €6.32
$15.08 $15.08
-52.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 €1.51
$2.92 $2.92
-41.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 €0.98
$3.46 $3.46
-68.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.27 €2.90
$1.49 $1.49
119.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.6 €49.48
$41.72 $41.72
33.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.70 €5.07
$2.73 $2.73
108.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.72 €2.42
$1.66 $1.66
63.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.50 €22.68
$35.30 $35.30
-27.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.90 €1.69
$0.95 $0.95
100.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K €19.5K
$36.0K $36.0K
-39.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K €24.7K
$27.1K $27.1K
2.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €148
$229 $229
-27.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.09 €17.87
$59.4 $59.4
-66.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.01 €36.48
$69.9 $69.9
-41.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.87 €33.68
$57.2 $57.2
-33.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.49 €17.34
$16.33 $16.33
19.35%
Cinema Ticket
$14.91 €13.26
$14.28 $14.28
4.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$278 €248
$1,506 $1,506
-81.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.1K €29.4K
$21.5K $21.5K
54.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$110 €97.8
$52.8 $52.8
108.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.74 €41.57
$43.82 $43.82
6.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.9 €68.4
$84.8 $84.8
-9.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 €92.8
$103 $103
1.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 €842
$1,907 $1,907
-50.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$695 €618
$1,274 $1,274
-45.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 €1,139
$3,664 $3,664
-65.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,069 €951
$2,538 $2,538
-57.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,137 €3,680
$7,614 $7,614
-45.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,877 €2,559
$3,157 $3,157
-8.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Genk
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,276 €2,024
$5,121 $5,121
-55.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.46
6.79
-49.04%

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

Last update for Genk: 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
Genk
$695
Austin, TX
$1.3K 83.4% $579
Eating Out
Genk
$319
Austin, TX
$354 11% $35
Groceries & Markets
Genk
$263
Austin, TX
$405 53.6% $141
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Genk
$228
Austin, TX
$358 57.3% $131
Clothing & Footwear
Genk
$152
Austin, TX
$128 15.8% $24
Getting Around
Genk
$88
Austin, TX
$59 33.3% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Genk
$68
Austin, TX
$86 26.7% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Genk and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 125% 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: $88.0 in Genk vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $405, with Genk cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Genk
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
21:50 9:50 PM
14:50 2:50 PM
7 h behind Genk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
65,321
974,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Genk Austin, TX 8,290 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Genk
  • 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
Genk vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Genk or Austin, TX?
Genk wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Genk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Genk or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 125% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Genk compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Genk versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Genk compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $1,812 per month in Genk versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Genk compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Genk runs roughly 33% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Genk or in Austin, TX?
At $1,812 in Genk versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Genk but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Genk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Genk or Austin, TX?
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.
How safe is Genk compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Genk 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Genk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Genk vs other spots: cost of living compared

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