Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Cahul

For one person, living is cheaper in Cahul: $635 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Cahul
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Cahul Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Cahul

🇲🇩 Moldova

$635

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Cahul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Cahul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $635 in Cahul.

Austin, TX $2,663
Cahul $635

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $927 in Cahul.

Austin, TX $4,133
Cahul $927

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,219 in Cahul.

Austin, TX $5,603
Cahul $1,219

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 320% more expensive than in Cahul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Cahul is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$8.54 MDL 152

143.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$23.42 MDL 416

261.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.36 MDL 184

18.92%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$1.67 MDL 29.62

237.13%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.10 MDL 19.60

238.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.58 MDL 10.39

331.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.97 MDL 35.05

308.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$1.80 MDL 32.05

400.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.21 MDL 21.41

-7.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.46 MDL 8.13

715.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.55 MDL 27.58

110.32%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.15 MDL 38.13

93.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$6.65 MDL 118

93.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.69 MDL 83.3

201.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$6.09 MDL 108

166.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.00 MDL 17.74

333.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.26 MDL 40.16

-35.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.89 MDL 33.62

138.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.28 MDL 40.46

90.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.77 MDL 13.69

235.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.48 MDL 8.51

389.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.46 MDL 8.18

286.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.55 MDL 9.76

303.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.31 MDL 58.8

198.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$4.54 MDL 80.7

232.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.41 MDL 25.07

107.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.94 MDL 34.54

78.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.27 MDL 4.78

451.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.87 MDL 51.0

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.26 MDL 4.62

538.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$5.69 MDL 101

520.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.57 MDL 27.84

-39.49%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$33.4K MDL 593.4K

7.88%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.8K MDL 422.6K

13.77%

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

$229 $229

$225 MDL 3,990

1.93%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$8.06 MDL 143

636.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$11.01 MDL 196

534.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$7.74 MDL 137

84.50%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$111 MDL 1,978

1252.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$5,302 MDL 94.2K

304.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$44.70 MDL 794

18.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$55.5 MDL 985

52.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$51.1 MDL 908

101.47%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$500 MDL 8,884

923.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

-15.13%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cahul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Cahul

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Cahul

$162 25.6% 59.9% $242

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Cahul

$244 38.4% 32% $115

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Cahul

$140 22% 60.5% $214

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Cahul

$68 * 10.7% 46.8% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Cahul

$15 * 2.4% 82% $70

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Cahul

$5.3 * 0.8% 91.1% $53

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

Cost Breakdown

Austin, TX pays 924% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $23.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $162 per month, with Cahul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇩 Cahul

🕒 Local time

20:35 8:35 PM

04:35 4:35 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

39,500

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Moldovan Leu MDL L

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MDL = 5.63 USD

100 MDL = 5.01 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MDL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇩 Moldovan Leu (L)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 17.76 MDL (100 MDL = 5.63 USD). 1 EUR = 19.97 MDL (100 MDL = 5.01 EUR).

MDL to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Cahul 9,950 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Cahul

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

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

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 320% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 924% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $111 in Cahul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cahul – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $635 in Cahul versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Cahul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 320% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.