Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucena and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Lucena: $646 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Lucena
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Lucena Living Index
130

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

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Lucena

🇵🇭 Philippines

$646

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in Lucena versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Lucena $646
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,041 in Lucena versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Lucena $1,041
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,436 in Lucena versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Lucena $1,436
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Lucena costs roughly 76% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lucena is 52% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 ₱94.4

$20.77 $20.77

-92.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.91 ₱1,191

$84.6 $84.6

-77.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.72 ₱108

$12.32 $12.32

-86.04%

Cappuccino

$1.32 ₱83.2

$5.63 $5.63

-76.55%

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

$0.33 ₱20.88

$3.72 $3.72

-91.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₱18.26

$2.50 $2.50

-88.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱86.7

$8.05 $8.05

-82.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.9

$9.01 $9.01

-85.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱105

$1.12 $1.12

48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.4

$3.75 $3.75

-68.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.6

$3.26 $3.26

-71.78%

Eggs

$1.75 ₱110

$4.17 $4.17

-58.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 ₱429

$12.90 $12.90

-47.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 ₱265

$14.16 $14.16

-70.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.13 ₱449

$16.22 $16.22

-56.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 ₱254

$4.33 $4.33

-6.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱86.0

$1.46 $1.46

-6.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱225

$4.51 $4.51

-20.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.5

$4.34 $4.34

-73.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱143

$2.58 $2.58

-12.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$2.35 $2.35

40.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₱89.6

$1.78 $1.78

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱57.0

$2.22 $2.22

-59.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 ₱173

$9.88 $9.88

-72.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₱487

$15.08 $15.08

-48.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱84.6

$2.92 $2.92

-54.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₱111

$3.46 $3.46

-49.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.97

$1.49 $1.49

-83.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.08 ₱761

$41.72 $41.72

-71.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.0

$2.73 $2.73

-70.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.19

$1.66 $1.66

-87.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₱160

$35.30 $35.30

-92.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₱77.6

$0.95 $0.95

29.47%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$36.0K $36.0K

-40.91%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$27.1K $27.1K

-30.70%

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

$47.89 ₱3,015

$229 $229

-79.09%

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

$6.37 ₱401

$59.4 $59.4

-89.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.06 ₱696

$69.9 $69.9

-84.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.15 ₱2,150

$57.2 $57.2

-40.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.02 ₱253

$16.33 $16.33

-75.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 ₱465

$14.28 $14.28

-48.32%

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

$71.9 ₱4,529

$1,506 $1,506

-95.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 ₱158.3K

$21.5K $21.5K

-88.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.78 ₱2,253

$52.8 $52.8

-32.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 ₱1,428

$43.82 $43.82

-48.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₱5,020

$84.8 $84.8

-5.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ₱4,683

$103 $103

-27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.5K

$1,907 $1,907

-86.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.7K

$1,274 $1,274

-86.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₱32.5K

$3,664 $3,664

-85.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.5K

$2,538 $2,538

-85.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₱143.2K

$7,614 $7,614

-70.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 ₱58.0K

$3,157 $3,157

-70.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 ₱20.2K

$5,121 $5,121

-93.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.09%

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

Last update for Lucena: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Lucena

$206 31.9%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 96.3% $199

Accommodation & Living

Lucena

$170 26.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 651% $1.1K

Clothing & Footwear

Lucena

$96 14.8%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 33.8% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lucena

$65 10.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 449% $293

Sport & Entertainment

Lucena

$49 7.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 75.4% $37

Eating Out

Lucena

$45 7%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 687% $309

Getting Around

Lucena

$15 2.3%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 294% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Lucena and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1499% 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: $19.00 in Lucena vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $405 per month, with Lucena cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Lucena

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:05 3:05 AM

14:05 2:05 PM

13 h behind Lucena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

278,924

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

Lucena Austin, TX 13,540 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Lucena
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

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

Lucena wins on cost – living expenses run 313% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lucena the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1499% 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: $262 in Lucena versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $646 per month in Lucena versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 313% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lucena runs roughly 245% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $646 in Lucena versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lucena but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Lucena 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, Lucena 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 Lucena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 313% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.