Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanaimo, BC and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Nanaimo, BC: $2,349 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

112

Cost of Living Index in Nanaimo, BC
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Nanaimo, BC Living Index
129

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

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Nanaimo, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,349

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,349 in Nanaimo, BC versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Nanaimo, BC $2,349
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Nanaimo, BC versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Nanaimo, BC $3,389
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Nanaimo, BC versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Nanaimo, BC $4,429
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Nanaimo, BC costs roughly 13% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nanaimo, BC 75% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.51 CA$24.96

$20.22 $20.22

-13.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.6 CA$109

$85.0 $85.0

-9.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 CA$16.21

$12.35 $12.35

-7.94%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.43

$5.47 $5.47

-30.35%

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

$2.21 CA$3.14

$3.82 $3.82

-42.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.30

$2.50 $2.50

-35.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 CA$7.78

$8.06 $8.06

-32.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 CA$7.88

$8.99 $8.99

-38.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 CA$2.31

$1.13 $1.13

43.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 CA$4.79

$3.78 $3.78

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.36

$3.25 $3.25

-5.85%

Eggs

$4.15 CA$5.92

$4.14 $4.14

0.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 CA$16.00

$13.08 $13.08

-14.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 CA$18.68

$14.31 $14.31

-8.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.74 CA$23.86

$15.96 $15.96

4.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$4.38 $4.38

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.82

$1.45 $1.45

-11.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.92

$4.54 $4.54

-8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 CA$8.30

$4.19 $4.19

38.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.87

$2.63 $2.63

3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$4.05

$2.36 $2.36

20.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$4.05

$1.76 $1.76

61.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 CA$3.26

$2.16 $2.16

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 CA$17.32

$9.81 $9.81

23.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 CA$20.17

$14.72 $14.72

-3.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 CA$3.87

$2.78 $2.78

-2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 CA$3.80

$3.48 $3.48

-23.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 CA$2.62

$1.49 $1.49

23.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.74 CA$63.8

$40.51 $40.51

10.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.93

$2.67 $2.67

3.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 CA$3.02

$1.58 $1.58

34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.48 CA$40.59

$35.29 $35.29

-19.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.87

$0.99 $0.99

32.32%

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

$27.8K CA$39.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.39%

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

$19.3K CA$27.6K

$27.2K $27.2K

-28.86%

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

$151 CA$216

$219 $219

-30.96%

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

$40.28 CA$57.4

$58.0 $58.0

-30.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 CA$91.1

$68.4 $68.4

-6.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.48 CA$39.17

$57.9 $57.9

-52.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 CA$26.53

$14.82 $14.82

25.57%

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 CA$15.60

$14.13 $14.13

-22.58%

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

$515 CA$734

$1,509 $1,509

-65.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K CA$18.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

-39.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.90 CA$69.7

$51.7 $51.7

-5.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.57 CA$47.86

$44.05 $44.05

-23.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 CA$141

$85.1 $85.1

16.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$153

$105 $105

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 CA$1,954

$1,932 $1,932

-29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 CA$1,601

$1,272 $1,272

-11.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 CA$3,023

$3,670 $3,670

-42.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 CA$2,421

$2,525 $2,525

-32.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,831 CA$5,461

$7,617 $7,617

-49.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,462 CA$4,935

$3,199 $3,199

8.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 CA$4,487

$5,105 $5,105

-38.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

6.79

-30.49%

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

Last update for Nanaimo, BC: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nanaimo, BC

$1.1K 48.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 13.3% $149

Groceries & Markets

Nanaimo, BC

$405 17.6%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 0.4% $1.7

Eating Out

Nanaimo, BC

$274 11.9%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 27.2% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nanaimo, BC

$256 11.1%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 35.3% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Nanaimo, BC

$130 5.6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 0.8% $1.1

Getting Around

Nanaimo, BC

$65 2.8%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 12.9% $8.4

Sport & Entertainment

Nanaimo, BC

$49 2.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 74.6% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,371 in Nanaimo, BC and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 62% 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: $77.0 in Nanaimo, BC vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $403, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Nanaimo, BC

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

02:46 2:46 AM

04:46 4:46 AM

2 h ahead of Nanaimo, BC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

90,504

974,447

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

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

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nanaimo, BC Austin, TX 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Nanaimo, BC
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

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

Nanaimo, BC wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nanaimo, BC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 62% 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: $1,371 in Nanaimo, BC versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,349 per month in Nanaimo, BC versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nanaimo, BC runs roughly 10% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,349 in Nanaimo, BC versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nanaimo, BC but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Nanaimo, BC 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, Nanaimo, BC 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 Nanaimo, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.