Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matara and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Matara: $579 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $25,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Matara
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Matara Living Index
130

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

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Matara

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$579

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $579 in Matara versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Matara $579
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $845 in Matara versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Matara $845
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,112 in Matara versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Matara $1,112
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Matara costs roughly 78% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matara is 57% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 LKR 1,262

$20.77 $20.77

-81.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.67 LKR 8,171

$84.6 $84.6

-70.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 LKR 2,551

$12.32 $12.32

-37.50%

Cappuccino

$2.46 LKR 815

$5.63 $5.63

-56.31%

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

$0.67 LKR 222

$3.72 $3.72

-81.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.5

$2.50 $2.50

-89.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 LKR 735

$8.05 $8.05

-72.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 1,006

$9.01 $9.01

-66.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 516

$1.12 $1.12

39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$3.75 $3.75

-85.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$3.26 $3.26

-76.69%

Eggs

$1.52 LKR 504

$4.17 $4.17

-63.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.89 LKR 4,601

$12.90 $12.90

7.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 LKR 1,651

$14.16 $14.16

-64.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,449

$16.22 $16.22

-54.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 LKR 2,220

$4.33 $4.33

54.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 LKR 155

$1.46 $1.46

-67.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 LKR 1,485

$4.51 $4.51

-0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 281

$4.34 $4.34

-80.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 322

$2.58 $2.58

-62.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 206

$2.35 $2.35

-73.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 LKR 308

$1.78 $1.78

-47.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 151

$2.22 $2.22

-79.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 LKR 3,227

$9.88 $9.88

-1.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 LKR 4,321

$15.08 $15.08

-13.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 LKR 612

$2.92 $2.92

-36.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 LKR 963

$3.46 $3.46

-15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LKR 94.6

$1.49 $1.49

-80.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 LKR 134

$2.73 $2.73

-85.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 123

$1.66 $1.66

-77.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 288

$35.30 $35.30

-97.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 437

$0.95 $0.95

38.95%

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

$36.8K LKR 12.2M

$36.0K $36.0K

1.96%

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

$40.5K LKR 13.4M

$27.1K $27.1K

49.75%

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

$46.01 LKR 15.2K

$229 $229

-79.91%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,420

$59.4 $59.4

-92.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 LKR 7,016

$69.9 $69.9

-69.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 LKR 1,464

$14.28 $14.28

-69.05%

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

$38.19 LKR 12.6K

$1,506 $1,506

-97.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,210 LKR 400.7K

$21.5K $21.5K

-94.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.27 LKR 6,051

$52.8 $52.8

-65.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.83 LKR 5,575

$43.82 $43.82

-61.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

$84.8 $84.8

-5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.05 LKR 13.6K

$103 $103

-60.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 LKR 61.0K

$1,907 $1,907

-90.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.1 LKR 29.5K

$1,274 $1,274

-93.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

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)

$106 LKR 35.2K

$5,121 $5,121

-97.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

6.79

86.89%

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

Last update for Matara: October 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matara

$232 40%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 74.6% $173

Eating Out

Matara

$104 18%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 240% $250

Accommodation & Living

Matara

$89 15.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 1330% $1.2K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matara

$71 12.4%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 401% $287

Clothing & Footwear

Matara

$70 12.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 82.1% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Matara

$8.8 * 1.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 871% $77

Getting Around

Matara

$3.4 * 0.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 1626% $55

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 $184 in Matara and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 4719% 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: $25.00 in Matara vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $405 per month, with Matara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matara

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

01:52 1:52 AM

15:22 3:22 PM

10 h 30 min behind Matara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100,000

974,447

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

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

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Matara Austin, TX 15,980 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Matara
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

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

Matara wins on cost – living expenses run 360% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Matara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4719% 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: $184 in Matara versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.19 in Matara 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 Matara – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $579 in Matara versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Matara but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Matara 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, Matara 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 Matara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 360% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.