Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Livingstone and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Livingstone: $202 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $30,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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

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Livingstone

🇿🇲 Zambia

$202

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $202 in Livingstone versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Livingstone $202
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $374 in Livingstone versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Livingstone $374
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $546 in Livingstone versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Livingstone $546
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Livingstone costs roughly 93% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Livingstone is 85% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 ZMW 147

$20.22 $20.22

-63.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ZMW 599

$85.0 $85.0

-64.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 ZMW 180

$12.35 $12.35

-26.40%

Cappuccino

$5.00 ZMW 99.2

$5.47 $5.47

-8.59%

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

$3.82 $3.82

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.68

$2.50 $2.50

-86.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

Wine (Bottle)

$20.26 ZMW 402

$14.72 $14.72

37.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 ZMW 49.86

$1.58 $1.58

58.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

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

$35.8K $35.8K

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

$27.2K $27.2K

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

$219 $219

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

$58.0 $58.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

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

$1,509 $1,509

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Livingstone: October 4, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Livingstone

–

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Groceries & Markets

Livingstone

–

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Eating Out

Livingstone

–

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Livingstone

–

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Livingstone

–

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Livingstone

–

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Getting Around

Livingstone

–

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30.00 in Livingstone vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $41.00 vs $403 per month, with Livingstone cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Livingstone

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

15:02 3:02 PM

08:02 8:02 AM

7 h behind Livingstone

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

136,897

974,447

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.04 USD

100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZMW – Zambian Kwacha Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇲 Zambian Kwacha (ZK)

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 19.83 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.04 USD). 1 EUR = 22.22 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to ZMW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Livingstone Austin, TX 14,180 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Livingstone
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

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

Livingstone wins on cost – living expenses run 1240% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Livingstone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $303 in Livingstone and $4,055 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $202 per month in Livingstone versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 1240% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 894% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $202 in Livingstone versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Livingstone but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Livingstone 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.

Expats usually find Livingstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1240% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.