Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pau and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Pau: $1,441 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pau
🇫🇷 France
$1,441
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,441 in Pau versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Pau $1,441
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,269 in Pau versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Pau $2,269
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,097 in Pau versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Pau $3,097
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Pau costs roughly 46% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pau 7% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.89 €15.02
$20.77 $20.77
-18.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.83 €42.54
$84.6 $84.6
-43.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.18 €9.94
$12.32 $12.32
-9.25%
Cappuccino
$3.82 €3.40
$5.63 $5.63
-32.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.23
$3.72 $3.72
-32.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.36
$2.50 $2.50
-38.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.55 €4.94
$8.05 $8.05
-31.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 €3.37
$9.01 $9.01
-57.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.03
$1.12 $1.12
3.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.21 €1.97
$3.75 $3.75
-41.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 €1.37
$3.26 $3.26
-52.45%
Eggs
$5.49 €4.88
$4.17 $4.17
31.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.38 €18.13
$12.90 $12.90
57.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.79 €10.49
$14.16 $14.16
-16.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.95 €22.20
$16.22 $16.22
53.82%
Apples (1kg)
$3.74 €3.33
$4.33 $4.33
-13.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.46 $1.46
54.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 €1.81
$4.51 $4.51
-54.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.32 €2.95
$4.34 $4.34
-23.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 €1.50
$2.58 $2.58
-34.88%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 €1.97
$2.35 $2.35
-5.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.78 $1.78
-28.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 €0.61
$2.22 $2.22
-68.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.50 €11.12
$9.88 $9.88
26.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.92 €8.82
$15.08 $15.08
-34.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.35 €3.87
$2.92 $2.92
48.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.49 €4.88
$3.46 $3.46
58.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.49 $1.49
-11.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.30 €22.51
$41.72 $41.72
-39.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.73 $2.73
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.66 $1.66
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$35.30 $35.30
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.80
$0.95 $0.95
113.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K €31.1K
$36.0K $36.0K
-2.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K €31.9K
$27.1K $27.1K
32.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.9 €77.3
$229 $229
-62.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.04 €27.61
$59.4 $59.4
-47.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.92 €29.28
$69.9 $69.9
-52.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.10 €37.44
$57.2 $57.2
-26.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.33 $16.33
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.19 €10.84
$14.28 $14.28
-14.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$382 €339
$1,506 $1,506
-74.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,369 €3,886
$21.5K $21.5K
-79.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$110 €98.3
$52.8 $52.8
109.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.30 €29.62
$43.82 $43.82
-24.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.7 €80.7
$84.8 $84.8
6.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 €79.4
$103 $103
-13.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$733 €652
$1,907 $1,907
-61.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$392 €349
$1,274 $1,274
-69.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 €956
$3,664 $3,664
-70.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$708 €630
$2,538 $2,538
-72.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,411 €2,144
$7,614 $7,614
-68.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,991 €1,771
$3,157 $3,157
-36.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pau
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,056 €2,718
$5,121 $5,121
-40.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
6.79
-43.89%

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

Last update for Pau: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pau
$392
Austin, TX
$1.3K 225% $882
Groceries & Markets
Pau
$389
Austin, TX
$405 4% $16
Eating Out
Pau
$266
Austin, TX
$354 33% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pau
$151
Austin, TX
$358 137% $207
Clothing & Footwear
Pau
$146
Austin, TX
$128 12.2% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Pau
$66
Austin, TX
$86 29.1% $19
Getting Around
Pau
$31 *
Austin, TX
$59 91.9% $28

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 $733 in Pau and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 68% 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: $48.00 in Pau vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $405 per month, with Pau cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Pau
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
22:23 10:23 PM
15:23 3:23 PM
7 h behind Pau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
77,066
974,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Pau Austin, TX 8,300 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Pau
  • 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
Pau vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pau or Austin, TX?
Pau wins on cost – living expenses run 85% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Pau or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 68% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Pau compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Pau versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Pau compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $1,441 per month in Pau versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Pau compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Pau runs roughly 65% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Pau or in Austin, TX?
At $1,441 in Pau versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pau but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Pau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Pau or Austin, TX?
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.
How safe is Pau compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Pau 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Pau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Pau vs other spots: cost of living compared

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