Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamboanga and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Zamboanga: $748 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Zamboanga
Learn more

Zamboanga Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Zamboanga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$748

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $748 in Zamboanga versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Zamboanga $748
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,123 in Zamboanga versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Zamboanga $1,123
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,497 in Zamboanga versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Zamboanga $1,497
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Zamboanga costs roughly 72% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zamboanga is 45% below, Austin, TX is 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.33 ₱83.5

$20.63 $20.63

-93.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.41 ₱1,033

$84.6 $84.6

-80.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.50 ₱220

$12.07 $12.07

-71.00%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ₱132

$5.48 $5.48

-61.86%

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

$0.86 ₱54.0

$3.80 $3.80

-77.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.88

$2.47 $2.47

-83.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱90.8

$8.05 $8.05

-82.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$8.88 $8.88

-76.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.11 $1.11

57.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱89.0

$3.72 $3.72

-62.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$3.37 $3.37

-65.58%

Eggs

$1.46 ₱91.7

$4.32 $4.32

-66.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 ₱630

$13.13 $13.13

-23.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ₱255

$14.15 $14.15

-71.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.33 ₱209

$16.33 $16.33

-79.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 ₱200

$4.55 $4.55

-30.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ₱74.1

$1.46 $1.46

-19.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 ₱241

$4.71 $4.71

-18.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱73.1

$4.15 $4.15

-72.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ₱79.6

$2.58 $2.58

-51.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ₱161

$2.35 $2.35

8.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₱54.4

$1.77 $1.77

-51.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.39

$2.14 $2.14

-76.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 ₱172

$10.10 $10.10

-72.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.23 ₱266

$15.19 $15.19

-72.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱82.1

$2.82 $2.82

-53.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₱124

$3.44 $3.44

-42.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.88

$1.54 $1.54

-85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.19 ₱704

$40.99 $40.99

-72.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.9

$2.80 $2.80

-70.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.50

$1.60 $1.60

-85.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱118

$34.34 $34.34

-94.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ₱64.4

$0.94 $0.94

8.51%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$34.0K $34.0K

-36.03%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$26.8K $26.8K

-27.39%

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

$124 ₱7,826

$223 $223

-44.17%

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

$15.48 ₱975

$58.9 $58.9

-73.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.25 ₱2,975

$70.6 $70.6

-33.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.74 ₱2,250

$57.7 $57.7

-38.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.67 ₱294

$16.53 $16.53

-71.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 ₱319

$14.26 $14.26

-64.45%

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

$133 ₱8,372

$1,511 $1,511

-91.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,082 ₱508.9K

$20.9K $20.9K

-61.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 ₱2,073

$51.3 $51.3

-35.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 ₱1,215

$44.17 $44.17

-56.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 ₱4,457

$87.0 $87.0

-18.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 ₱3,505

$104 $104

-46.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.8K

$1,940 $1,940

-86.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱11.0K

$1,316 $1,316

-86.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 ₱20.9K

$3,664 $3,664

-90.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ₱22.6K

$2,565 $2,565

-85.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱149.0K

$7,354 $7,354

-67.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$998 ₱62.9K

$3,129 $3,129

-68.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$193 ₱12.2K

$5,286 $5,286

-96.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Zamboanga: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zamboanga

$187 25%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 88.3% $165

Groceries & Markets

Zamboanga

$184 24.6%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 121% $222

Accommodation & Living

Zamboanga

$175 23.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 653% $1.1K

Clothing & Footwear

Zamboanga

$80 10.7%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 60.5% $49

Eating Out

Zamboanga

$62 8.4%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 460% $288

Sport & Entertainment

Zamboanga

$46 6.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 87.9% $40

Getting Around

Zamboanga

$14 1.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 312% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Zamboanga and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2635% 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: $16.00 in Zamboanga vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $406 per month, with Zamboanga cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Zamboanga

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

05:11 5:11 AM

16:11 4:11 PM

13 h behind Zamboanga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Zamboanga Austin, TX 14,090 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Zamboanga
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

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

Zamboanga wins on cost – living expenses run 260% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zamboanga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2635% 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: $266 in Zamboanga versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $748 per month in Zamboanga versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 260% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Zamboanga runs roughly 266% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $748 in Zamboanga versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zamboanga but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 260% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.