Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Alberni: $1,670 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

81

Cost of Living Index in Port Alberni
Learn more

Port Alberni Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Port Alberni

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,670

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,670 in Port Alberni versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Port Alberni $1,670
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,790 in Port Alberni versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Port Alberni $2,790
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,911 in Port Alberni versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Port Alberni $3,911
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Port Alberni costs roughly 37% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Alberni 24% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.48 CA$24.86

$20.77 $20.77

-15.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 CA$87.0

$84.6 $84.6

-27.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 CA$14.88

$12.32 $12.32

-15.10%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.54

$5.63 $5.63

-30.91%

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

$2.04 CA$2.90

$3.72 $3.72

-45.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 CA$1.97

$2.50 $2.50

-44.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 CA$4.89

$8.05 $8.05

-57.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CA$7.68

$9.01 $9.01

-40.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$3.04

$1.12 $1.12

91.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 CA$3.24

$3.75 $3.75

-39.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.88

$3.26 $3.26

-16.26%

Eggs

$3.93 CA$5.59

$4.17 $4.17

-5.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 CA$12.71

$12.90 $12.90

-30.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.81

$14.16 $14.16

-71.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.41 CA$27.59

$16.22 $16.22

19.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.87

$4.33 $4.33

-36.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 CA$1.51

$1.46 $1.46

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.83

$4.51 $4.51

-24.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.10

$4.34 $4.34

-17.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.94

$2.58 $2.58

-19.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.63

$2.35 $2.35

-21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 CA$3.07

$1.78 $1.78

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 CA$0.97

$2.22 $2.22

-69.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.54 CA$14.98

$9.88 $9.88

6.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 CA$14.69

$15.08 $15.08

-31.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.56

$2.92 $2.92

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$4.07

$3.46 $3.46

-17.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 CA$2.02

$1.49 $1.49

-4.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.09 CA$47.05

$41.72 $41.72

-20.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 CA$3.82

$2.73 $2.73

-1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 CA$2.21

$1.66 $1.66

-6.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.01 CA$44.09

$35.30 $35.30

-12.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.70

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$27.5K CA$39.2K

$36.0K $36.0K

-23.59%

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

$19.5K CA$27.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-27.91%

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

$81.8 CA$116

$229 $229

-64.26%

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

$36.45 CA$51.8

$59.4 $59.4

-38.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 CA$72.5

$69.9 $69.9

-27.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 CA$60.9

$57.2 $57.2

-25.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 CA$17.28

$14.28 $14.28

-14.85%

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

$1,087 CA$1,545

$1,506 $1,506

-27.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$28.3K

$21.5K $21.5K

-7.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 CA$82.7

$52.8 $52.8

10.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.34 CA$45.98

$43.82 $43.82

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 CA$136

$84.8 $84.8

12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 CA$133

$103 $103

-9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 CA$1,123

$1,907 $1,907

-58.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 CA$1,002

$1,274 $1,274

-44.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,360

$3,664 $3,664

-54.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 CA$2,379

$2,538 $2,538

-34.09%

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)

$3,045 CA$4,330

$5,121 $5,121

-40.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

6.79

-36.97%

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

Last update for Port Alberni: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Port Alberni

$705 42.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 80.7% $569

Groceries & Markets

Port Alberni

$293 17.6%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 37.9% $111

Eating Out

Port Alberni

$260 15.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 36.3% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Alberni

$169 10.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 112% $189

Clothing & Footwear

Port Alberni

$126 7.5%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 1.7% $2.2

Sport & Entertainment

Port Alberni

$67 4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 27.8% $19

Getting Around

Port Alberni

$49 3%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 19.2% $9.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $790 in Port Alberni 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: $61.0 in Port Alberni vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $405 per month, with Port Alberni cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Port Alberni

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

16:29 4:29 PM

18:29 6:29 PM

2 h ahead of Port Alberni

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,743

974,447

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 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 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Port Alberni Austin, TX 3,100 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Port Alberni
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

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

Port Alberni wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Port Alberni the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

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.

Rent for a central apartment: $790 in Port Alberni 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 $1,670 per month in Port Alberni versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Port Alberni runs roughly 26% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,670 in Port Alberni versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Port Alberni but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Port Alberni 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.

Expats usually find Port Alberni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.