Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oamaru and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Oamaru: $1,769 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Oamaru
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Oamaru Living Index
130

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

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Oamaru

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,769

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,769 in Oamaru versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Oamaru $1,769
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,802 in Oamaru versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Oamaru $2,802
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,834 in Oamaru versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Oamaru $3,834
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Oamaru costs roughly 34% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oamaru 31% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 NZ$24.53

$20.77 $20.77

-33.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 NZ$120

$84.6 $84.6

-19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 NZ$16.23

$12.32 $12.32

-25.49%

Cappuccino

$3.30 NZ$5.84

$5.63 $5.63

-41.39%

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

$2.33 NZ$4.12

$3.72 $3.72

-37.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.14

$2.50 $2.50

-28.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 NZ$11.63

$8.05 $8.05

-18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 NZ$12.22

$9.01 $9.01

-23.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.94

$1.12 $1.12

49.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 NZ$2.27

$3.75 $3.75

-65.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 NZ$2.65

$3.26 $3.26

-53.99%

Eggs

$5.48 NZ$9.70

$4.17 $4.17

31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 NZ$12.83

$12.90 $12.90

-43.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 NZ$15.69

$14.16 $14.16

-37.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.60 NZ$24.04

$16.22 $16.22

-16.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 NZ$4.22

$4.33 $4.33

-44.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.58

$1.46 $1.46

38.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.76

$4.51 $4.51

-40.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.25

$4.34 $4.34

-31.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 NZ$2.65

$2.58 $2.58

-41.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 NZ$2.35

$2.35 $2.35

-43.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NZ$3.64

$1.78 $1.78

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 NZ$1.24

$2.22 $2.22

-68.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.24 NZ$42.87

$9.88 $9.88

145.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 NZ$9.63

$15.08 $15.08

-63.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 NZ$5.96

$2.92 $2.92

15.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NZ$7.60

$3.46 $3.46

23.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 NZ$2.64

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 NZ$157

$41.72 $41.72

113.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 NZ$4.52

$2.73 $2.73

-6.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 NZ$3.00

$1.66 $1.66

2.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.87 NZ$49.29

$35.30 $35.30

-21.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 NZ$2.79

$0.95 $0.95

66.32%

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

$25.2K NZ$44.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

-29.96%

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

$23.9K NZ$42.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

-11.82%

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

$158 NZ$279

$229 $229

-31.05%

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

$19.36 NZ$34.24

$59.4 $59.4

-67.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.43 NZ$80.3

$69.9 $69.9

-35.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.08 NZ$69.1

$57.2 $57.2

-31.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 NZ$17.65

$14.28 $14.28

-30.11%

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

$668 NZ$1,181

$1,506 $1,506

-55.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K NZ$38.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

1.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 NZ$99.7

$52.8 $52.8

6.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.83 NZ$29.77

$43.82 $43.82

-61.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.83 NZ$79.3

$84.8 $84.8

-47.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 NZ$88.9

$103 $103

-51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 NZ$1,720

$1,907 $1,907

-48.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 NZ$1,398

$1,274 $1,274

-37.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 NZ$3,051

$3,664 $3,664

-52.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 NZ$2,884

$2,538 $2,538

-35.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,751 NZ$8,403

$7,614 $7,614

-37.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,236 NZ$5,724

$3,157 $3,157

2.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,926 NZ$3,405

$5,121 $5,121

-62.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.91

6.79

-12.96%

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

Last update for Oamaru: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Oamaru

$790 44.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 61.2% $484

Groceries & Markets

Oamaru

$274 15.5%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 47.6% $130

Eating Out

Oamaru

$241 13.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 46.7% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Oamaru

$223 12.6%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 60.9% $136

Getting Around

Oamaru

$106 6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 44.6% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Oamaru

$76 4.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 69% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Oamaru

$59 3.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 45.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Oamaru and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 166% 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: $68.0 in Oamaru vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $405 per month, with Oamaru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Oamaru

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

18:56 6:56 PM

00:56 12:56 AM

18 h behind Oamaru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,850

974,447

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

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

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Oamaru Austin, TX 12,430 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Oamaru
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

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

Oamaru wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oamaru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 166% 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: $973 in Oamaru 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 $1,769 per month in Oamaru versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Oamaru runs roughly 113% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,769 in Oamaru versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Oamaru but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Oamaru 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, Oamaru 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 Oamaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.