Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Manizales: $1,173 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Manizales
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Manizales Living Index
128

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

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Manizales

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,173

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,173 in Manizales versus $2,689 in Austin, TX.

Manizales $1,173
Austin, TX $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,849 in Manizales versus $4,112 in Austin, TX.

Manizales $1,849
Austin, TX $4,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,525 in Manizales versus $5,534 in Austin, TX.

Manizales $2,525
Austin, TX $5,534

Living in Manizales costs roughly 56% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manizales is 13% below, Austin, TX is 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 COP 22.9K

$21.34 $21.34

-66.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.83 COP 138.4K

$87.9 $87.9

-51.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 COP 32.6K

$12.44 $12.44

-18.81%

Cappuccino

$1.68 COP 5,420

$5.60 $5.60

-70.00%

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

$1.36 COP 4,399

$3.65 $3.65

-62.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,947

$2.39 $2.39

-61.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,438

$7.82 $7.82

-78.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 COP 7,839

$8.75 $8.75

-72.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 COP 2,429

$1.12 $1.12

-33.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 COP 7,498

$3.62 $3.62

-35.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 COP 6,100

$3.50 $3.50

-46.00%

Eggs

$3.40 COP 11.0K

$4.45 $4.45

-23.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 COP 25.4K

$13.18 $13.18

-40.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 COP 23.7K

$13.94 $13.94

-47.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 COP 33.2K

$16.46 $16.46

-37.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 COP 11.2K

$4.73 $4.73

-26.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$1.50 $1.50

18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 COP 6,123

$4.64 $4.64

-59.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 COP 5,926

$4.52 $4.52

-59.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,630

$2.55 $2.55

-43.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,631

$2.39 $2.39

-40.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 COP 4,272

$1.84 $1.84

-28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,871

$2.13 $2.13

-43.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 COP 13.9K

$10.05 $10.05

-57.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 COP 40.0K

$14.88 $14.88

-16.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,861

$2.82 $2.82

-46.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 9,907

$3.29 $3.29

-6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 COP 3,195

$1.23 $1.23

-19.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.1 COP 184.5K

$41.43 $41.43

37.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 COP 3,654

$2.68 $2.68

-57.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 COP 1,761

$1.63 $1.63

-66.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 COP 23.5K

$35.20 $35.20

-79.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,105

$0.98 $0.98

29.59%

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

$34.5K COP 111.4M

$34.4K $34.4K

0.36%

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

$34.9K COP 112.6M

$26.8K $26.8K

30.06%

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

$127 COP 410.8K

$252 $252

-49.57%

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

$11.72 COP 37.9K

$59.8 $59.8

-80.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.40 COP 98.2K

$69.7 $69.7

-56.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.21 COP 104.0K

$60.4 $60.4

-46.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 COP 24.8K

$13.75 $13.75

-44.15%

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

$551 COP 1.8M

$1,458 $1,458

-62.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,609 COP 21.3M

$26.6K $26.6K

-75.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 COP 274.9K

$52.6 $52.6

61.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.46 COP 153.3K

$45.76 $45.76

3.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 COP 464.7K

$85.5 $85.5

68.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 340.7K

$106 $106

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$2,195 $2,195

-81.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 COP 1.1M

$1,269 $1,269

-73.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 COP 3.5M

$4,000 $4,000

-72.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 COP 2.2M

$2,406 $2,406

-71.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,511 COP 8.1M

$7,381 $7,381

-65.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 COP 5.8M

$2,964 $2,964

-39.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,226 COP 4.0M

$5,043 $5,043

-75.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

75.95%

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

Last update for Manizales: November 1, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manizales

$337 28.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2% 277% $932

Groceries & Markets

Manizales

$253 21.6%

Austin, TX

$407 15.2% 61% $154

Clothing & Footwear

Manizales

$172 14.7%

Austin, TX

$130 4.9% 24.2% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manizales

$169 14.4%

Austin, TX

$382 14.2% 126% $212

Eating Out

Manizales

$129 11%

Austin, TX

$356 13.2% 175% $227

Getting Around

Manizales

$65 5.5%

Austin, TX

$57 2.1% 12% $7.8

Sport & Entertainment

Manizales

$48 4.1%

Austin, TX

$88 3.3% 84.7% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Manizales and $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 4.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43 in Manizales vs $88 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $407 per month, with Manizales cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Manizales

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

04:47 4:47 AM

03:47 3:47 AM

1 h behind Manizales

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

458,442

974,447

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,628 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Between locations

Manizales Austin, TX 3,640 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Manizales
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

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

Manizales wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Manizales the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Manizales. 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: $398 in Manizales versus $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,173 per month in Manizales versus $2,689 in Austin, TX – Manizales is about 56% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 27% less than in Manizales. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $1,173 in Manizales versus $2,689 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manizales but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Manizales 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.

It comes down to priorities – Manizales wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.