Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,704 a month against $3,632 in St. Gallen, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

178

Cost of Living Index in St. Gallen
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St. Gallen Living Index
129

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

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St. Gallen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,632

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,632 in St. Gallen versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

St. Gallen $3,632
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,284 in St. Gallen versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

St. Gallen $5,284
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,937 in St. Gallen versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

St. Gallen $6,937
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in St. Gallen is roughly 34% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St. Gallen 171% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.41 CHF 24.41

$20.22 $20.22

45.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 121

$85.0 $85.0

71.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.82 CHF 14.79

$12.35 $12.35

44.29%

Cappuccino

$5.99 CHF 4.97

$5.47 $5.47

9.51%

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

$5.81 CHF 4.83

$3.82 $3.82

52.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 CHF 4.42

$2.50 $2.50

113.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.23 CHF 7.66

$8.06 $8.06

14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CHF 5.12

$8.99 $8.99

-31.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.85

$1.13 $1.13

97.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 CHF 2.64

$3.78 $3.78

-15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 3.06

$3.25 $3.25

13.23%

Eggs

$7.68 CHF 6.37

$4.14 $4.14

85.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.41 CHF 21.09

$13.08 $13.08

94.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.97 CHF 24.05

$14.31 $14.31

102.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.85 CHF 32.25

$15.96 $15.96

143.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 CHF 2.62

$4.38 $4.38

-27.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CHF 1.33

$1.45 $1.45

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.92

$4.54 $4.54

-49.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 CHF 4.99

$4.19 $4.19

43.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 CHF 1.41

$2.63 $2.63

-35.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.80

$2.36 $2.36

-8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 CHF 1.79

$1.76 $1.76

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CHF 0.98

$2.16 $2.16

-45.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 CHF 8.84

$9.81 $9.81

8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 CHF 9.39

$14.72 $14.72

-23.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 CHF 1.81

$2.78 $2.78

-21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CHF 1.92

$3.48 $3.48

-33.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.17 CHF 3.46

$1.49 $1.49

179.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 CHF 106

$40.51 $40.51

216.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 CHF 5.51

$2.67 $2.67

148.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.79 CHF 3.98

$1.58 $1.58

203.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$77.3 CHF 64.2

$35.29 $35.29

119.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.84

$0.99 $0.99

124.24%

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

$35.3K CHF 29.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-1.35%

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

$39.5K CHF 32.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

45.19%

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

$305 CHF 253

$219 $219

39.13%

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

$38.46 CHF 31.92

$58.0 $58.0

-33.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 CHF 44.95

$68.4 $68.4

-20.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.7 CHF 67.0

$57.9 $57.9

39.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$30.32 CHF 25.16

$14.13 $14.13

114.58%

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

$2,308 CHF 1,915

$1,509 $1,509

52.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K CHF 26.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

47.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 122

$51.7 $51.7

183.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.6 CHF 53.7

$44.05 $44.05

46.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 122

$85.1 $85.1

73.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$179 CHF 148

$105 $105

69.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,734 CHF 1,439

$1,932 $1,932

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 CHF 1,410

$1,272 $1,272

33.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,854 CHF 2,369

$3,670 $3,670

-22.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 CHF 1,787

$2,525 $2,525

-14.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K CHF 10.0K

$7,617 $7,617

58.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,070 CHF 7,528

$3,199 $3,199

183.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,528 CHF 5,418

$5,105 $5,105

27.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

6.79

-69.07%

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

Last update for St. Gallen: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

St. Gallen

$1.7K 46%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 25.1% $426

Groceries & Markets

St. Gallen

$572 15.5%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 29.6% $170

Eating Out

St. Gallen

$464 12.6%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 24.9% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

St. Gallen

$398 10.8%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 13.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

St. Gallen

$242 6.6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 46.7% $113

Getting Around

St. Gallen

$176 4.8%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 67.5% $119

Sport & Entertainment

St. Gallen

$141 3.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 39% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,734 in St. Gallen and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Gallen pays 28% 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: $145 in St. Gallen vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $572 vs $403 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇭 St. Gallen

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:35 8:35 AM

01:35 1:35 AM

7 h behind St. Gallen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

78,213

974,447

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.2 USD

1 CHF = 1.07 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 0.931 CHF (1 CHF = 1.07 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CHF in detail →

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Between locations

St. Gallen Austin, TX 8,730 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

St. Gallen
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

St. Gallen vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in St. Gallen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 28% higher in St. Gallen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,734 in St. Gallen versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,632 per month in St. Gallen versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 217% less than in St. Gallen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, St. Gallen 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in St. Gallen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.