Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Satu Mare and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Satu Mare: $922 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Satu Mare
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Satu Mare Living Index
130

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

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Satu Mare

🇷🇴 Romania

$922

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $922 in Satu Mare versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Satu Mare $922
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,392 in Satu Mare versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Satu Mare $1,392
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,862 in Satu Mare versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Satu Mare $1,862
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Satu Mare costs roughly 65% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Satu Mare is 32% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 RON 39.26

$20.77 $20.77

-60.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.02 RON 152

$84.6 $84.6

-62.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 RON 29.50

$12.32 $12.32

-49.43%

Cappuccino

$2.48 RON 11.73

$5.63 $5.63

-55.95%

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

$1.49 RON 7.07

$3.72 $3.72

-59.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 6.14

$2.50 $2.50

-48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 RON 8.98

$8.05 $8.05

-76.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 RON 11.65

$9.01 $9.01

-72.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 RON 5.29

$1.12 $1.12

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 RON 4.83

$3.75 $3.75

-72.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.42

$3.26 $3.26

-64.72%

Eggs

$2.66 RON 12.58

$4.17 $4.17

-36.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 RON 33.24

$12.90 $12.90

-45.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 RON 34.71

$14.16 $14.16

-48.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.74 RON 50.8

$16.22 $16.22

-33.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 RON 5.12

$4.33 $4.33

-75.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.29

$1.46 $1.46

-8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.82

$4.51 $4.51

-72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.66

$4.34 $4.34

-67.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.51

$2.58 $2.58

-55.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.32

$2.35 $2.35

-42.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.47

$1.78 $1.78

-47.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RON 3.26

$2.22 $2.22

-68.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.31 RON 25.11

$9.88 $9.88

-46.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 RON 29.18

$15.08 $15.08

-59.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.73

$2.92 $2.92

-58.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 8.33

$3.46 $3.46

-49.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 RON 2.57

$1.49 $1.49

-63.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.25 RON 110

$41.72 $41.72

-44.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 RON 4.00

$2.73 $2.73

-69.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.90

$1.66 $1.66

-50.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 RON 37.54

$35.30 $35.30

-77.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.36

$0.95 $0.95

64.21%

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

$22.3K RON 105.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-38.17%

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

$24.6K RON 116.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-8.98%

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

$123 RON 581

$229 $229

-46.40%

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

$7.13 RON 33.74

$59.4 $59.4

-87.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.26 RON 34.37

$69.9 $69.9

-89.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.96 RON 199

$57.2 $57.2

-26.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 RON 49.84

$16.33 $16.33

-35.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 RON 28.92

$14.28 $14.28

-57.21%

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

$154 RON 728

$1,506 $1,506

-89.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,826 RON 18.1K

$21.5K $21.5K

-82.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 RON 287

$52.8 $52.8

14.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.58 RON 130

$43.82 $43.82

-37.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 RON 397

$84.8 $84.8

-1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 RON 334

$103 $103

-31.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 RON 1,545

$1,907 $1,907

-82.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 RON 1,226

$1,274 $1,274

-79.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 RON 3,093

$3,664 $3,664

-82.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 RON 1,904

$2,538 $2,538

-84.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$984 RON 4,654

$7,614 $7,614

-87.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,043 RON 4,937

$3,157 $3,157

-66.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 RON 3,076

$5,121 $5,121

-87.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

6.79

3.83%

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

Last update for Satu Mare: 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

Satu Mare

$259 28.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 392% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Satu Mare

$192 20.8%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 111% $213

Eating Out

Satu Mare

$140 15.2%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 152% $213

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Satu Mare

$137 14.9%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 161% $221

Clothing & Footwear

Satu Mare

$109 11.8%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 17.2% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Satu Mare

$54 5.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 58.3% $32

Getting Around

Satu Mare

$30 3.3%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 93.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $327 in Satu Mare and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 688% 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: $32.00 in Satu Mare vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $405 per month, with Satu Mare cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Satu Mare

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

00:38 12:38 AM

16:38 4:38 PM

8 h behind Satu Mare

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

102,411

974,447

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Satu Mare Austin, TX 9,510 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Satu Mare
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

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

Satu Mare wins on cost – living expenses run 189% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Satu Mare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 688% 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: $327 in Satu Mare 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 $922 per month in Satu Mare versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Satu Mare runs roughly 79% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $922 in Satu Mare versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Satu Mare but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Satu Mare 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, Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 189% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.