Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Launceston and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Launceston: $2,019 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Launceston
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,019
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,019 in Launceston versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Launceston $2,019
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,885 in Launceston versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Launceston $2,885
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,751 in Launceston versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Launceston $3,751
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Launceston costs roughly 24% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Launceston 50% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.42 A$25.07
$20.77 $20.77
-16.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.1 A$107
$84.6 $84.6
-12.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 A$12.30
$12.32 $12.32
-30.60%
Cappuccino
$3.24 A$4.66
$5.63 $5.63
-42.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 A$1.96
$3.72 $3.72
-63.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 A$3.10
$2.50 $2.50
-13.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.35 A$9.14
$8.05 $8.05
-21.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.97 A$10.04
$9.01 $9.01
-22.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 A$2.56
$1.12 $1.12
58.93%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 A$3.61
$3.75 $3.75
-33.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 A$1.75
$3.26 $3.26
-62.58%
Eggs
$3.52 A$5.07
$4.17 $4.17
-15.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.49 A$13.65
$12.90 $12.90
-26.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.51 A$12.25
$14.16 $14.16
-39.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.18 A$14.65
$16.22 $16.22
-37.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 A$3.92
$4.33 $4.33
-37.18%
Banana (1kg)
$2.71 A$3.90
$1.46 $1.46
85.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 A$3.89
$4.51 $4.51
-40.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.71 A$6.78
$4.34 $4.34
8.53%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 A$2.97
$2.58 $2.58
-20.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 A$1.98
$2.35 $2.35
-41.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.52 A$3.62
$1.78 $1.78
41.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 A$0.82
$2.22 $2.22
-74.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$36.12 A$52.0
$9.88 $9.88
265.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.43 A$20.76
$15.08 $15.08
-4.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.08 A$7.32
$2.92 $2.92
73.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.39 A$7.75
$3.46 $3.46
55.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.53 A$5.08
$1.49 $1.49
136.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.6 A$81.5
$41.72 $41.72
35.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.61 A$6.64
$2.73 $2.73
68.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.06 A$2.96
$1.66 $1.66
24.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$42.01 A$60.5
$35.30 $35.30
19.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 A$1.80
$0.95 $0.95
31.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K A$39.5K
$36.0K $36.0K
-23.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K A$56.5K
$27.1K $27.1K
44.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 A$315
$229 $229
-4.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.37 A$40.83
$59.4 $59.4
-52.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.6 A$78.5
$69.9 $69.9
-21.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.09 A$70.7
$57.2 $57.2
-14.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.33 $16.33
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.66 A$23.97
$14.28 $14.28
16.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,997 A$2,873
$1,506 $1,506
32.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.2K A$30.5K
$21.5K $21.5K
-1.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.5 A$112
$52.8 $52.8
46.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.8 A$77.4
$43.82 $43.82
22.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 A$150
$84.8 $84.8
23.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 A$176
$103 $103
19.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,137 A$1,636
$1,907 $1,907
-40.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$805 A$1,158
$1,274 $1,274
-36.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,599 A$2,301
$3,664 $3,664
-56.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,102 A$1,586
$2,538 $2,538
-56.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,614 $7,614
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,157 $3,157
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Launceston
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,636 A$9,549
$5,121 $5,121
29.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
6.79
-11.63%

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

Last update for Launceston: 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
Launceston
$805
Austin, TX
$1.3K 58.3% $469
Groceries & Markets
Launceston
$319
Austin, TX
$405 27% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Launceston
$302
Austin, TX
$358 18.6% $56
Eating Out
Launceston
$264
Austin, TX
$354 34.2% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Launceston
$161
Austin, TX
$128 20.6% $33
Getting Around
Launceston
$86
Austin, TX
$59 31.5% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Launceston
$82
Austin, TX
$86 4.1% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,137 in Launceston and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Launceston pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Launceston vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $405 per month, with Launceston cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Launceston
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
03:57 3:57 AM
11:57 11:57 AM
16 h behind Launceston
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
80,943
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Launceston Austin, TX 14,170 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Launceston
  • 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
Launceston vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Launceston or Austin, TX?
Launceston wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Launceston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Launceston or in Austin, TX?
Average pay runs 30% higher in Launceston, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Launceston compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,137 in Launceston 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 Launceston compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $2,019 per month in Launceston versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Launceston compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Launceston runs roughly 36% 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 $2,000/month in Launceston or in Austin, TX?
At $2,019 in Launceston versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Launceston but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Launceston the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Launceston 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 Launceston compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Launceston 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 Launceston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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