Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Powell River, BC and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Powell River, BC: $2,305 a month against $2,663 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 Powell River, BC
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Powell River, BC Living Index
130

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

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Powell River, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,305

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,305 in Powell River, BC versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Powell River, BC $2,305
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,329 in Powell River, BC versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Powell River, BC $3,329
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,353 in Powell River, BC versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Powell River, BC $4,353
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Powell River, 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: Powell River, BC 71% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 CA$24.63

$20.77 $20.77

-16.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.8 CA$90.3

$84.6 $84.6

-24.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.40 CA$18.94

$12.32 $12.32

8.77%

Cappuccino

$3.91 CA$5.53

$5.63 $5.63

-30.55%

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

$2.14 CA$3.03

$3.72 $3.72

-42.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.93

$2.50 $2.50

-16.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.87

$8.05 $8.05

-39.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.19

$9.01 $9.01

-27.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 CA$4.35

$1.12 $1.12

175.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.55

$3.75 $3.75

-14.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 CA$7.47

$3.26 $3.26

61.96%

Eggs

$4.54 CA$6.41

$4.17 $4.17

8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.61 CA$30.55

$12.90 $12.90

67.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.08 CA$22.73

$14.16 $14.16

13.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.30 CA$13.15

$16.22 $16.22

-42.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.71

$4.33 $4.33

-6.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.95

$1.46 $1.46

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$6.09

$4.51 $4.51

-4.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 CA$6.46

$4.34 $4.34

5.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$2.58 $2.58

23.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.35

$2.35 $2.35

30.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.90

$1.78 $1.78

55.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.28

$2.22 $2.22

-27.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.51

$9.88 $9.88

61.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 CA$19.57

$15.08 $15.08

-8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.68 CA$6.62

$2.92 $2.92

60.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.26

$3.46 $3.46

-12.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 CA$2.31

$1.49 $1.49

9.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 CA$49.66

$41.72 $41.72

-15.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$2.73 $2.73

12.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 CA$2.29

$1.66 $1.66

-2.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.91

$35.30 $35.30

-36.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.76

$0.95 $0.95

31.58%

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

$24.3K CA$34.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-32.57%

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

$22.1K CA$31.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

-18.40%

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

$150 CA$212

$229 $229

-34.49%

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

$52.3 CA$73.9

$59.4 $59.4

-12.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 CA$100

$69.9 $69.9

1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 CA$97.1

$57.2 $57.2

19.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.88 CA$25.28

$16.33 $16.33

9.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 CA$14.97

$14.28 $14.28

-25.84%

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

$740 CA$1,046

$1,506 $1,506

-50.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K CA$20.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

-32.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.41 CA$61.4

$52.8 $52.8

-17.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 CA$73.2

$43.82 $43.82

18.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 CA$129

$84.8 $84.8

7.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$177

$103 $103

21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 CA$1,689

$1,907 $1,907

-37.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 CA$1,444

$1,274 $1,274

-19.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 CA$2,593

$3,664 $3,664

-49.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,515 CA$2,142

$2,538 $2,538

-40.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,674 CA$6,607

$7,614 $7,614

-38.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,293 CA$4,655

$3,157 $3,157

4.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,557 CA$3,615

$5,121 $5,121

-50.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

6.79

-16.49%

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

Last update for Powell River, BC: 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

Powell River, BC

$1K 44.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 24.7% $253

Groceries & Markets

Powell River, BC

$447 19.4%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 9.5% $42

Eating Out

Powell River, BC

$281 12.2%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 26.1% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Powell River, BC

$273 11.8%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 31.2% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Powell River, BC

$140 6.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 8.8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Powell River, BC

$90 3.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 4.5% $4.1

Getting Around

Powell River, BC

$53 2.3%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 11.1% $5.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,195 in Powell River, BC and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 100% 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: $64.0 in Powell River, BC vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Powell River, BC

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

18:01 6:01 PM

20:01 8:01 PM

2 h ahead of Powell River, BC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,157

974,447

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Powell River, BC Austin, TX 3,120 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Powell River, 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

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

Powell River, BC wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Powell River, BC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 100% 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: $1,195 in Powell River, BC 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 $2,305 per month in Powell River, BC versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Powell River, BC runs roughly 19% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,305 in Powell River, BC versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Powell River, BC but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Powell River, 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, Powell River, 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 Powell River, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.