Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waikiki, HI and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,689 a month against $3,148 in Waikiki, HI, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Waikiki, HI
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Waikiki, HI Living Index
128

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

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Waikiki, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,148

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,148 in Waikiki, HI versus $2,689 in Austin, TX.

Waikiki, HI $3,148
Austin, TX $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,580 in Waikiki, HI versus $4,112 in Austin, TX.

Waikiki, HI $4,580
Austin, TX $4,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,011 in Waikiki, HI versus $5,534 in Austin, TX.

Waikiki, HI $6,011
Austin, TX $5,534

Living in Waikiki, HI is roughly 17% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waikiki, HI 133% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.12 $25.12

$21.34 $21.34

17.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 $140

$87.9 $87.9

59.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.23 $15.23

$12.44 $12.44

22.43%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$5.60 $5.60

6.07%

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

$5.06 $5.06

$3.65 $3.65

38.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.39 $2.39

51.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 $10.44

$7.82 $7.82

33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.37 $11.37

$8.75 $8.75

29.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.12 $1.12

-8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.62 $3.62

-2.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.14 $10.14

$3.50 $3.50

189.71%

Eggs

$8.84 $8.84

$4.45 $4.45

98.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$13.18 $13.18

-5.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.34 $20.34

$13.94 $13.94

45.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.60 $21.60

$16.46 $16.46

31.23%

Apples (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$4.73 $4.73

74.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.50 $1.50

11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.93 $6.93

$4.64 $4.64

49.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$4.52 $4.52

106.19%

Potato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.55 $2.55

90.59%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.39 $2.39

104.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.84 $1.84

188.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.13 $2.13

42.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 $12.88

$10.05 $10.05

28.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 $18.20

$14.88 $14.88

22.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.82 $2.82

-4.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 $5.68

$3.29 $3.29

72.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.23 $1.23

82.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$41.43 $41.43

44.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.68 $2.68

33.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.63 $1.63

61.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.63 $45.63

$35.20 $35.20

29.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.98 $0.98

53.06%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$34.4K $34.4K

4.93%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.77%

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

$250 $250

$252 $252

-0.78%

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

$65.4 $65.4

$59.8 $59.8

9.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$69.7 $69.7

-7.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 $41.02

$60.4 $60.4

-32.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$19.78 $19.78

$13.75 $13.75

43.85%

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

$2,118 $2,118

$1,458 $1,458

45.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K $28.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

6.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 $63.7

$52.6 $52.6

21.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.25 $47.25

$45.76 $45.76

3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$85.5 $85.5

20.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$106 $106

25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$2,195 $2,195

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 $1,424

$1,269 $1,269

12.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$4,000 $4,000

-34.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 $1,965

$2,406 $2,406

-18.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,676 $2,676

$7,381 $7,381

-63.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,422 $2,422

$2,964 $2,964

-18.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.82

-0.44%

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

Last update for Waikiki, HI: November 2, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waikiki, HI

$1.4K 45.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2% 10.9% $155

Groceries & Markets

Waikiki, HI

$594 18.9%

Austin, TX

$407 15.2% 31.4% $187

Eating Out

Waikiki, HI

$428 13.6%

Austin, TX

$356 13.2% 16.7% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waikiki, HI

$380 12.1%

Austin, TX

$382 14.2% 0.4% $1.6

Clothing & Footwear

Waikiki, HI

$156 5%

Austin, TX

$130 4.9% 16.4% $26

Getting Around

Waikiki, HI

$86 2.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.1% 33.3% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Waikiki, HI

$81 2.6%

Austin, TX

$88 3.3% 9% $7.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Waikiki, HI and $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $140 in Waikiki, HI vs $88 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $594 vs $407 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waikiki, HI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:06 1:06 PM

17:06 5:06 PM

4 h ahead of Waikiki, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,862

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Waikiki, HI Austin, TX 6,030 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Waikiki, HI
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

Waikiki, HI vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Waikiki, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $4,722 in Waikiki, HI and $4,034 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Waikiki, HI versus $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,148 per month in Waikiki, HI versus $2,689 in Austin, TX – Austin, TX is about 15% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 31% less than in Waikiki, HI. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch 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 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.