Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Sydney, NS: $1,595 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sydney, NS
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Sydney, NS Living Index
130

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

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Sydney, NS

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,595

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,595 in Sydney, NS versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Sydney, NS $1,595
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,519 in Sydney, NS versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Sydney, NS $2,519
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,443 in Sydney, NS versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Sydney, NS $3,443
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Sydney, NS costs roughly 40% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney, NS 18% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 CA$15.57

$20.77 $20.77

-46.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 CA$89.7

$84.6 $84.6

-24.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 CA$10.40

$12.32 $12.32

-40.26%

Cappuccino

$2.84 CA$4.02

$5.63 $5.63

-49.56%

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

$2.29 CA$3.23

$3.72 $3.72

-38.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.91

$2.50 $2.50

-17.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$1.12 $1.12

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CA$3.51

$3.75 $3.75

-33.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.41

$3.26 $3.26

-26.07%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.50

$4.17 $4.17

-23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 CA$8.89

$12.90 $12.90

-51.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 CA$11.36

$14.16 $14.16

-43.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.06 CA$18.47

$16.22 $16.22

-19.48%

Apples (1kg)

$7.04 CA$9.96

$4.33 $4.33

62.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 CA$1.68

$1.46 $1.46

-18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$4.34 $4.34

-67.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 CA$1.10

$2.58 $2.58

-69.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.76

$2.35 $2.35

-17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.41 CA$9.06

$1.78 $1.78

260.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.79 CA$25.15

$9.88 $9.88

80.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 CA$5.96

$3.46 $3.46

21.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 CA$1.53

$1.49 $1.49

-27.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.58 CA$67.3

$41.72 $41.72

14.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 CA$5.80

$2.73 $2.73

50.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.66

$0.95 $0.95

23.16%

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

$25.6K CA$36.2K

$36.0K $36.0K

-28.96%

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

$19.0K CA$26.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

-29.72%

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

$88.1 CA$124

$229 $229

-61.54%

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

$34.80 CA$49.20

$59.4 $59.4

-41.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 CA$104

$69.9 $69.9

5.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.87 CA$67.7

$57.2 $57.2

-16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.40 CA$4.80

$16.33 $16.33

-79.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.93 CA$9.80

$14.28 $14.28

-51.47%

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

$698 CA$987

$1,506 $1,506

-53.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 CA$95.6

$52.8 $52.8

28.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 CA$93.6

$43.82 $43.82

51.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 CA$140

$84.8 $84.8

16.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$149

$103 $103

2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 CA$1,273

$1,907 $1,907

-52.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 CA$1,002

$1,274 $1,274

-44.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 CA$2,503

$3,664 $3,664

-51.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 CA$1,932

$2,538 $2,538

-46.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 CA$3,536

$5,121 $5,121

-51.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.8

6.79

-14.58%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: 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

Sydney, NS

$709 44.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 79.7% $565

Groceries & Markets

Sydney, NS

$258 * 16.2%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 57.1% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sydney, NS

$196 12.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 82.5% $162

Eating Out

Sydney, NS

$162 * 10.1%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 119% $192

Clothing & Footwear

Sydney, NS

$152 9.5%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 15.9% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Sydney, NS

$62 3.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 39% $24

Getting Around

Sydney, NS

$56 * 3.5%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 4.8% $2.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $900 in Sydney, NS and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 105% 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: $63.0 in Sydney, NS vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $405 per month, with Sydney, NS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Sydney, NS

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

10:42 10:42 AM

08:42 8:42 AM

2 h behind Sydney, NS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,960

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sydney, NS Austin, TX 3,680 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Sydney, NS
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

Sydney, NS vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney, NS wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sydney, NS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 105% 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: $900 in Sydney, NS 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 $1,595 per month in Sydney, NS versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sydney, NS runs roughly 14% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,595 in Sydney, NS versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sydney, NS but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sydney, NS 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.

Expats usually find Sydney, NS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.