Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,704 a month against $2,924 in Yellowknife, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Yellowknife
Learn more

Yellowknife Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Yellowknife

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,924

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,924 in Yellowknife versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Yellowknife $2,924
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,087 in Yellowknife versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Yellowknife $4,087
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,250 in Yellowknife versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Yellowknife $5,250
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Yellowknife is roughly 8% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yellowknife 118% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.40 CA$27.65

$20.22 $20.22

-4.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 CA$119

$85.0 $85.0

-2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 CA$11.97

$12.35 $12.35

-32.06%

Cappuccino

$4.39 CA$6.25

$5.47 $5.47

-19.74%

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

$2.39 CA$3.41

$3.82 $3.82

-37.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.89

$2.50 $2.50

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 CA$9.17

$8.06 $8.06

-20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 CA$9.91

$8.99 $8.99

-22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.75 CA$3.92

$1.13 $1.13

143.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.77

$3.78 $3.78

-30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 CA$6.77

$3.25 $3.25

46.15%

Eggs

$3.15 CA$4.49

$4.14 $4.14

-23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.97 CA$9.94

$13.08 $13.08

-46.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.66 CA$22.33

$14.31 $14.31

9.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 CA$22.11

$15.96 $15.96

-2.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 CA$6.85

$4.38 $4.38

9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CA$2.16

$1.45 $1.45

4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.22

$4.54 $4.54

11.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.17 CA$10.22

$4.19 $4.19

71.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 CA$6.46

$2.63 $2.63

72.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.16

$2.36 $2.36

53.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.45 CA$4.92

$1.76 $1.76

96.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CA$1.49

$2.16 $2.16

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.52 CA$24.97

$9.81 $9.81

78.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$20.38

$14.72 $14.72

-2.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 CA$5.90

$2.78 $2.78

48.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CA$9.02

$3.48 $3.48

81.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 CA$3.04

$1.49 $1.49

42.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.8 CA$75.3

$40.51 $40.51

30.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.47

$2.67 $2.67

17.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.95

$1.58 $1.58

-13.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.86

$0.99 $0.99

32.32%

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

$24.2K CA$34.5K

$35.8K $35.8K

-32.36%

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

$18.8K CA$26.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

-30.71%

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

$355 CA$506

$219 $219

61.82%

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

$57.5 CA$81.9

$58.0 $58.0

-0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.7 CA$142

$68.4 $68.4

45.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.1 CA$103

$57.9 $57.9

24.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$9.54 CA$13.60

$14.13 $14.13

-32.48%

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

$593 CA$845

$1,509 $1,509

-60.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 CA$88.3

$51.7 $51.7

19.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.78 CA$49.57

$44.05 $44.05

-21.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 CA$142

$85.1 $85.1

16.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$162

$105 $105

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CA$1,980

$1,932 $1,932

-28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 CA$1,968

$1,272 $1,272

8.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 CA$2,995

$3,670 $3,670

-42.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 CA$2,935

$2,525 $2,525

-18.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,977 CA$4,244

$7,617 $7,617

-60.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,819 CA$4,018

$3,199 $3,199

-11.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,989 CA$5,685

$5,105 $5,105

-21.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

6.79

-21.65%

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

Last update for Yellowknife: 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

Yellowknife

$1.4K 47.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 7.8% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yellowknife

$512 17.5%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 32.5% $166

Groceries & Markets

Yellowknife

$430 14.7%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 6.2% $27

Eating Out

Yellowknife

$297 10.2%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 17.3% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Yellowknife

$140 4.8%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 7.8% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Yellowknife

$91 3.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 5.5% $5

Getting Around

Yellowknife

$71 2.4%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 20.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,389 in Yellowknife and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $83.0 in Yellowknife vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $430 vs $403, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Yellowknife

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

00:28 12:28 AM

01:28 1:28 AM

1 h ahead of Yellowknife

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,234

974,447

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

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

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Yellowknife Austin, TX 3,770 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Yellowknife
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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Yellowknife. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 28% 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: $1,389 in Yellowknife 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 $2,924 per month in Yellowknife versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 30% less than in Yellowknife. 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 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.