Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lapu-Lapu and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Lapu-Lapu: $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 Lapu-Lapu
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Lapu-Lapu Living Index
130

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

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Lapu-Lapu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$845

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Lapu-Lapu $845
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Lapu-Lapu versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Lapu-Lapu $1,195
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,545 in Lapu-Lapu versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Lapu-Lapu $1,545
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Lapu-Lapu 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: Lapu-Lapu is 37% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.95 ₱186

$20.77 $20.77

-85.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.86 ₱998

$84.6 $84.6

-81.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₱246

$12.32 $12.32

-68.34%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₱160

$5.63 $5.63

-54.88%

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

$0.58 ₱36.53

$3.72 $3.72

-84.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.93

$2.50 $2.50

-84.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ₱80.9

$8.05 $8.05

-83.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱142

$9.01 $9.01

-75.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ₱111

$1.12 $1.12

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ₱89.2

$3.75 $3.75

-62.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.5

$3.26 $3.26

-71.17%

Eggs

$2.04 ₱129

$4.17 $4.17

-51.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.68 ₱358

$12.90 $12.90

-55.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₱280

$14.16 $14.16

-68.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱486

$16.22 $16.22

-52.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ₱211

$4.33 $4.33

-22.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.5

$1.46 $1.46

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$4.51 $4.51

-47.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱97.1

$4.34 $4.34

-64.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ₱151

$2.58 $2.58

-7.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₱125

$2.35 $2.35

-15.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱75.2

$1.78 $1.78

-33.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.80

$2.22 $2.22

-69.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.62 ₱102

$9.88 $9.88

-83.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.07 ₱256

$15.08 $15.08

-73.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₱65.9

$2.92 $2.92

-64.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₱95.2

$3.46 $3.46

-56.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.81

$1.49 $1.49

-83.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.77

$2.73 $2.73

-72.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.51

$1.66 $1.66

-86.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 ₱246

$35.30 $35.30

-88.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.4

$0.95 $0.95

40.00%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$36.0K $36.0K

-40.27%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$27.1K $27.1K

-27.79%

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

$120 ₱7,559

$229 $229

-47.57%

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

$13.99 ₱881

$59.4 $59.4

-76.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.04 ₱1,765

$69.9 $69.9

-59.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.62 ₱795

$57.2 $57.2

-77.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 ₱353

$14.28 $14.28

-60.78%

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

$103 ₱6,509

$1,506 $1,506

-93.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,848 ₱494.1K

$21.5K $21.5K

-63.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.78 ₱3,008

$52.8 $52.8

-9.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ₱1,603

$43.82 $43.82

-41.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.86 ₱1,502

$84.8 $84.8

-71.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,683

$103 $103

-43.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₱27.5K

$1,907 $1,907

-77.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ₱19.9K

$1,274 $1,274

-75.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 ₱76.4K

$3,664 $3,664

-66.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ₱29.8K

$2,538 $2,538

-81.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 ₱14.4K

$5,121 $5,121

-95.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.79

6.04%

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

Last update for Lapu-Lapu: 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

Lapu-Lapu

$317 37.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 303% $958

Groceries & Markets

Lapu-Lapu

$189 22.4%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 114% $215

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lapu-Lapu

$162 19.2%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 121% $196

Eating Out

Lapu-Lapu

$81 9.5%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 339% $273

Clothing & Footwear

Lapu-Lapu

$70 8.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 82.8% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Lapu-Lapu

$24 2.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 260% $62

Getting Around

Lapu-Lapu

$2.9 * 0.3%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 1924% $56

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 $437 in Lapu-Lapu and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2138% 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: $16.00 in Lapu-Lapu vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $405 per month, with Lapu-Lapu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Lapu-Lapu

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:57 3:57 AM

14:57 2:57 PM

13 h behind Lapu-Lapu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

497,604

974,447

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

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

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Lapu-Lapu Austin, TX 13,670 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Lapu-Lapu
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

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

Lapu-Lapu 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 Lapu-Lapu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2138% 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: $437 in Lapu-Lapu versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $103 in Lapu-Lapu 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 Lapu-Lapu – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $845 in Lapu-Lapu versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lapu-Lapu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Lapu-Lapu 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, Lapu-Lapu 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 Lapu-Lapu 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.