Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Invercargill: $1,412 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Invercargill
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Invercargill Living Index
130

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

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Invercargill

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,412

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,412 in Invercargill versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Invercargill $1,412
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,099 in Invercargill versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Invercargill $2,099
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,785 in Invercargill versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Invercargill $2,785
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Invercargill costs roughly 47% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Invercargill 5% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.04 NZ$24.83

$20.77 $20.77

-32.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 NZ$108

$84.6 $84.6

-27.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 NZ$14.71

$12.32 $12.32

-32.47%

Cappuccino

$3.12 NZ$5.52

$5.63 $5.63

-44.58%

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

$1.65 NZ$2.92

$3.72 $3.72

-55.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NZ$3.60

$2.50 $2.50

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 NZ$4.85

$8.05 $8.05

-65.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 NZ$4.85

$9.01 $9.01

-69.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.96

$1.12 $1.12

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 NZ$3.27

$3.75 $3.75

-50.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.11

$3.26 $3.26

-46.01%

Eggs

$5.58 NZ$9.87

$4.17 $4.17

33.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 NZ$14.55

$12.90 $12.90

-36.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 NZ$15.61

$14.16 $14.16

-37.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 NZ$21.44

$16.22 $16.22

-25.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 NZ$4.50

$4.33 $4.33

-41.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.17

$1.46 $1.46

61.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 NZ$4.70

$4.51 $4.51

-41.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 NZ$6.23

$4.34 $4.34

-18.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.68

$2.58 $2.58

24.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 NZ$2.85

$2.35 $2.35

-31.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 NZ$4.13

$1.78 $1.78

30.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NZ$1.84

$2.22 $2.22

-53.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.39 NZ$36.06

$9.88 $9.88

106.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 NZ$15.14

$15.08 $15.08

-43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 NZ$5.06

$2.92 $2.92

-2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 NZ$5.99

$3.46 $3.46

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 NZ$2.49

$1.49 $1.49

-5.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 NZ$4.01

$2.73 $2.73

-16.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.42

$1.66 $1.66

16.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.73 NZ$49.04

$35.30 $35.30

-21.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 NZ$2.81

$0.95 $0.95

67.37%

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

$23.8K NZ$42.1K

$36.0K $36.0K

-33.98%

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

$18.2K NZ$32.3K

$27.1K $27.1K

-32.62%

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

$109 NZ$192

$229 $229

-52.52%

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

$32.30 NZ$57.1

$59.4 $59.4

-45.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 NZ$75.1

$69.9 $69.9

-39.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.87 NZ$49.29

$57.2 $57.2

-51.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.77 NZ$24.34

$16.33 $16.33

-15.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.82 NZ$15.60

$14.28 $14.28

-38.24%

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

$589 NZ$1,042

$1,506 $1,506

-60.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 NZ$102

$52.8 $52.8

8.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 NZ$62.0

$43.82 $43.82

-19.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 NZ$124

$84.8 $84.8

-17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 NZ$140

$103 $103

-23.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 NZ$1,050

$1,907 $1,907

-68.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 NZ$974

$1,274 $1,274

-56.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 NZ$1,470

$3,664 $3,664

-77.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 NZ$1,350

$2,538 $2,538

-69.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,482 NZ$9,695

$7,614 $7,614

-28.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,034 NZ$8,902

$3,157 $3,157

59.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,729 NZ$4,826

$5,121 $5,121

-46.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.79

-1.03%

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

Last update for Invercargill: 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

Invercargill

$551 39%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 131% $723

Groceries & Markets

Invercargill

$298 21.1%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 35.9% $107

Eating Out

Invercargill

$209 14.8%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 69.6% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Invercargill

$183 13%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 95.3% $175

Clothing & Footwear

Invercargill

$109 7.7%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 17.8% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Invercargill

$46 3.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 88.5% $40

Getting Around

Invercargill

$18 * 1.2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 234% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $594 in Invercargill and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 88% 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: $61.0 in Invercargill vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $405 per month, with Invercargill cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Invercargill

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

04:43 4:43 AM

10:43 10:43 AM

18 h behind Invercargill

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,200

974,447

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

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

USD to NZD in detail →

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Between locations

Invercargill Austin, TX 12,670 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Invercargill
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

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

Invercargill wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Invercargill the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 88% 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: $594 in Invercargill versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $589 in Invercargill versus $1,506 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 Invercargill – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,412 in Invercargill versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Invercargill but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Invercargill 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, Invercargill 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 Invercargill gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.