Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Somerset West: $1,162 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Somerset West
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Somerset West Living Index
130

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

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Somerset West

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,162

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,162 in Somerset West versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Somerset West $1,162
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,890 in Somerset West versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Somerset West $1,890
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,618 in Somerset West versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Somerset West $2,618
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Somerset West costs roughly 56% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Somerset West is 14% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 R 195

$20.77 $20.77

-42.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.93 R 757

$84.6 $84.6

-45.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 R 89.3

$12.32 $12.32

-56.01%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R 35.82

$5.63 $5.63

-61.46%

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

$1.03 R 16.99

$3.72 $3.72

-72.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 15.02

$2.50 $2.50

-63.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 R 41.47

$8.05 $8.05

-68.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R 54.6

$9.01 $9.01

-63.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 R 15.56

$1.12 $1.12

-16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 R 16.43

$3.75 $3.75

-73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 R 33.91

$3.26 $3.26

-36.81%

Eggs

$2.27 R 37.42

$4.17 $4.17

-45.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 R 142

$12.90 $12.90

-32.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.25 R 86.6

$14.16 $14.16

-62.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 R 157

$16.22 $16.22

-41.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 R 30.28

$4.33 $4.33

-57.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 R 31.24

$1.46 $1.46

30.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.83

$4.51 $4.51

-62.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.62

$4.34 $4.34

-59.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.30

$2.58 $2.58

-40.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.30

$2.35 $2.35

-34.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 R 21.21

$1.78 $1.78

-27.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 R 17.92

$2.22 $2.22

-50.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 R 54.0

$9.88 $9.88

-66.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 R 98.5

$15.08 $15.08

-60.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 22.13

$2.92 $2.92

-54.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 R 28.95

$3.46 $3.46

-49.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 R 18.52

$1.49 $1.49

-24.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 R 979

$41.72 $41.72

42.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 R 9.56

$2.73 $2.73

-78.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 R 24.35

$1.66 $1.66

-10.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 R 83.7

$35.30 $35.30

-85.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 23.49

$0.95 $0.95

50.53%

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

$28.8K R 474.1K

$36.0K $36.0K

-20.16%

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

$30.0K R 494.4K

$27.1K $27.1K

10.85%

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

$85.2 R 1,404

$229 $229

-62.80%

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

$28.77 R 474

$59.4 $59.4

-51.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.92 R 674

$69.9 $69.9

-41.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.25 R 745

$57.2 $57.2

-20.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.76 R 177

$16.33 $16.33

-34.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.19 R 118

$14.28 $14.28

-49.65%

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

$261 R 4,308

$1,506 $1,506

-82.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,633 R 59.9K

$21.5K $21.5K

-83.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.84 R 508

$52.8 $52.8

-41.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.76 R 523

$43.82 $43.82

-27.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 R 1,161

$84.8 $84.8

-16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 R 930

$103 $103

-45.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 R 10.5K

$1,907 $1,907

-66.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 R 6,997

$1,274 $1,274

-66.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 R 22.4K

$3,664 $3,664

-62.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 R 15.4K

$2,538 $2,538

-63.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,227 R 20.2K

$7,614 $7,614

-83.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$907 R 14.9K

$3,157 $3,157

-71.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,427 R 23.5K

$5,121 $5,121

-72.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.79

49.04%

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

Last update for Somerset West: 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

Somerset West

$425 36.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 200% $849

Groceries & Markets

Somerset West

$202 17.4%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 101% $203

Eating Out

Somerset West

$164 14.1%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 116% $190

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Somerset West

$155 13.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 131% $203

Clothing & Footwear

Somerset West

$85 7.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 50.1% $43

Getting Around

Somerset West

$72 6.2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 18.4% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Somerset West

$60 5.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 43.9% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $637 in Somerset West and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 259% 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: $46.00 in Somerset West vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $405 per month, with Somerset West cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇿🇦 Somerset West

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:31 11:31 AM

04:31 4:31 AM

7 h behind Somerset West

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

55,166

974,447

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

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

USD to ZAR in detail →

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Between locations

Somerset West Austin, TX 14,130 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Somerset West
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

Somerset West vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset West wins on cost – living expenses run 129% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Somerset West the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 259% 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: $637 in Somerset West 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 $1,162 per month in Somerset West versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Somerset West runs roughly 42% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,162 in Somerset West versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Somerset West but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Somerset West 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, Somerset West 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 Somerset West gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.