Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Riehen and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,372 in Riehen, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Riehen
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,372
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,372 in Riehen versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Riehen $3,372
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,084 in Riehen versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Riehen $5,084
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,797 in Riehen versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Riehen $6,797
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Riehen is roughly 27% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riehen 150% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$29.55 CHF 24.34
$20.77 $20.77
42.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 CHF 98.5
$84.6 $84.6
41.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.72 CHF 12.94
$12.32 $12.32
27.60%
Cappuccino
$6.21 CHF 5.11
$5.63 $5.63
10.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.98 CHF 4.10
$3.72 $3.72
33.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.26 CHF 4.33
$2.50 $2.50
110.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.15 CHF 5.89
$8.05 $8.05
-11.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.57 CHF 5.41
$9.01 $9.01
-27.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.13 CHF 1.75
$1.12 $1.12
90.18%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CHF 2.59
$3.75 $3.75
-16.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.51 CHF 2.89
$3.26 $3.26
7.67%
Eggs
$7.13 CHF 5.87
$4.17 $4.17
70.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.83 CHF 20.45
$12.90 $12.90
92.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$24.86 CHF 20.48
$14.16 $14.16
75.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$37.07 CHF 30.53
$16.22 $16.22
128.55%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 CHF 2.90
$4.33 $4.33
-18.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 CHF 1.33
$1.46 $1.46
10.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.51 CHF 2.07
$4.51 $4.51
-44.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.36 CHF 3.59
$4.34 $4.34
0.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 CHF 1.46
$2.58 $2.58
-31.01%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 CHF 1.72
$2.35 $2.35
-11.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.19 CHF 1.80
$1.78 $1.78
23.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 CHF 1.02
$2.22 $2.22
-44.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.91 CHF 8.99
$9.88 $9.88
10.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 CHF 8.56
$15.08 $15.08
-31.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.48 CHF 2.87
$2.92 $2.92
19.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 CHF 1.91
$3.46 $3.46
-32.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.45 CHF 3.67
$1.49 $1.49
198.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$98.6 CHF 81.2
$41.72 $41.72
136.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.84 CHF 8.11
$2.73 $2.73
260.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.02 CHF 3.31
$1.66 $1.66
142.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$73.6 CHF 60.6
$35.30 $35.30
108.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 CHF 1.80
$0.95 $0.95
129.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.5K CHF 34.1K
$36.0K $36.0K
15.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K CHF 32.3K
$27.1K $27.1K
44.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$339 CHF 280
$229 $229
48.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.49 CHF 34.17
$59.4 $59.4
-30.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.6 CHF 46.59
$69.9 $69.9
-19.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$88.7 CHF 73.1
$57.2 $57.2
55.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.01 CHF 37.07
$16.33 $16.33
175.63%
Cinema Ticket
$21.40 CHF 17.63
$14.28 $14.28
49.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,786 CHF 1,471
$1,506 $1,506
18.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.6K CHF 30.2K
$21.5K $21.5K
70.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 CHF 84.0
$52.8 $52.8
93.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.0 CHF 46.94
$43.82 $43.82
30.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$165 CHF 136
$84.8 $84.8
94.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$183 CHF 151
$103 $103
77.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,680 CHF 1,384
$1,907 $1,907
-11.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,440 CHF 1,186
$1,274 $1,274
13.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,422 CHF 2,819
$3,664 $3,664
-6.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,418 CHF 1,992
$2,538 $2,538
-4.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$15.7K CHF 12.9K
$7,614 $7,614
105.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$12.0K CHF 9,867
$3,157 $3,157
279.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Riehen
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,642 CHF 7,118
$5,121 $5,121
68.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.31
6.79
-65.98%

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

Last update for Riehen: 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
Riehen
$1.4K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 11.5% $166
Groceries & Markets
Riehen
$540
Austin, TX
$405 25.1% $136
Eating Out
Riehen
$448
Austin, TX
$354 21% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Riehen
$438
Austin, TX
$358 18.1% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Riehen
$228
Austin, TX
$128 43.9% $100
Getting Around
Riehen
$146
Austin, TX
$59 59.9% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Riehen
$132
Austin, TX
$86 34.8% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,680 in Riehen and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riehen pays 69% 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: $120 in Riehen vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $540 vs $405 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Riehen
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
15:08 3:08 PM
08:08 8:08 AM
7 h behind Riehen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,970
974,447
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

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
  • Riehen Austin, TX 8,610 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Riehen
  • 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
Riehen vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Riehen or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Riehen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Riehen or in Austin, TX?
Average pay runs 69% higher in Riehen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Riehen compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,680 in Riehen 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 Riehen compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $3,372 per month in Riehen versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Riehen compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 136% less than in Riehen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Riehen or in Austin, TX?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Riehen or Austin, TX?
Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,663 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.
How safe is Riehen compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Riehen 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Riehen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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