Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rustaq and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Ar-rustaq: $958 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ar-rustaq
🇴🇲 Oman
$958
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $958 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Ar-rustaq $958
  • Austin, TX $2,663

A couple spends around $1,438 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $4,133 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Ar-rustaq $1,438
  • Austin, TX $4,133

A family of three spends $1,918 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $5,603 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Ar-rustaq $1,918
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Ar-rustaq is about 64% cheaper than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ar-rustaq sits 29% below the global median, while Austin, TX is 97% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.31 OMR 2.04
$20.77 $20.77
-74.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.09 OMR 15.05
$84.6 $84.6
-53.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.01 OMR 3.08
$12.32 $12.32
-34.98%
Cappuccino
$5.10 OMR 1.96
$5.63 $5.63
-9.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 OMR 0.33
$3.72 $3.72
-76.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 OMR 0.11
$2.50 $2.50
-88.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.07 OMR 5.03
$8.05 $8.05
62.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.84 OMR 4.94
$9.01 $9.01
42.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.29 OMR 0.88
$1.12 $1.12
104.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 OMR 0.46
$3.75 $3.75
-68.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 OMR 0.71
$3.26 $3.26
-43.56%
Eggs
$3.06 OMR 1.18
$4.17 $4.17
-26.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.51 OMR 2.89
$12.90 $12.90
-41.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.11 OMR 2.74
$14.16 $14.16
-49.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 OMR 4.13
$16.22 $16.22
-33.85%
Apples (1kg)
$3.67 OMR 1.41
$4.33 $4.33
-15.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 OMR 0.78
$1.46 $1.46
38.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 OMR 0.89
$4.51 $4.51
-48.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.32 OMR 0.51
$4.34 $4.34
-69.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 OMR 0.45
$2.58 $2.58
-54.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.28 OMR 0.49
$2.35 $2.35
-45.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.84 OMR 0.71
$1.78 $1.78
3.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 OMR 0.27
$2.22 $2.22
-68.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 OMR 2.53
$9.88 $9.88
-33.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.57 OMR 5.99
$15.08 $15.08
3.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.81 OMR 2.24
$2.92 $2.92
98.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.12 OMR 3.89
$3.46 $3.46
192.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.49 $1.49
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.72 $41.72
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 OMR 1.22
$2.73 $2.73
16.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.56 OMR 0.99
$1.66 $1.66
54.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.96 OMR 3.06
$35.30 $35.30
-77.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.63 OMR 0.24
$0.95 $0.95
-33.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.8K OMR 9,938
$36.0K $36.0K
-28.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K OMR 8,854
$27.1K $27.1K
-15.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$181 OMR 69.8
$229 $229
-20.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.68 OMR 11.04
$59.4 $59.4
-51.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.4 OMR 27.10
$69.9 $69.9
0.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$57.2 $57.2
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.33 $16.33
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.32 OMR 3.97
$14.28 $14.28
-27.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$293 OMR 113
$1,506 $1,506
-80.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K OMR 4,101
$21.5K $21.5K
-50.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 OMR 22.09
$52.8 $52.8
8.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.10 OMR 16.59
$43.82 $43.82
-1.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.8 OMR 34.20
$84.8 $84.8
4.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.7 OMR 33.39
$103 $103
-15.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,907 $1,907
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,274 $1,274
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,664 $3,664
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,538 $2,538
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,614 $7,614
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,157 $3,157
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ar-rustaq
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,439 OMR 1,709
$5,121 $5,121
-13.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
6.79
-22.68%

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

Last update for Ar-rustaq: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Ar-rustaq
$293
Austin, TX
$405 37.9% $111
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ar-rustaq
$280
Austin, TX
$358 27.8% $78
Eating Out
Ar-rustaq
$223
Austin, TX
$354 58.5% $131
Clothing & Footwear
Ar-rustaq
$124
Austin, TX
$128 3% $3.8
Sport & Entertainment
Ar-rustaq
$21 *
Austin, TX
$86 316% $65
Getting Around
Ar-rustaq
$16 *
Austin, TX
$59 267% $43
Accommodation & Living
Ar-rustaq
- *
Austin, TX
$1.3K

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 15% higher in Austin, TX, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ar-rustaq versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $405 – making Ar-rustaq the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇴🇲 Ar-rustaq
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
20:10 8:10 PM
11:10 11:10 AM
9 h behind Ar-rustaq
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
120,000
974,447
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to OMR – Omani Rial Converter

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ar-rustaq Austin, TX 13,490 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ar-rustaq
  • 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
Ar-rustaq vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Austin, TX cheaper than Ar-rustaq?
Yes – Austin, TX is pricier by about 178%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,437 per month in Ar-rustaq and $3,995 in Austin, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Ar-rustaq and in Austin, TX?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $958 in Ar-rustaq and $2,663 in Austin, TX. That's a gap of about 178%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $293 per month in Ar-rustaq and $1,506 in Austin, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ar-rustaq or in Austin, TX?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ar-rustaq, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Austin, TX at $2,663. In Ar-rustaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Austin, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ar-rustaq or Austin, TX more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ar-rustaq – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ar-rustaq or Austin, TX?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ar-rustaq. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Austin, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Ar-rustaq vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?