Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and El Kef

For one person, living is cheaper in El Kef: $610 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
El Kef
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$610
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in El Kef

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 El Kef actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $610 in El Kef.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • El Kef $610

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $959 in El Kef.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • El Kef $959

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,308 in El Kef.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • El Kef $1,308

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 337% more expensive than in El Kef, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, El Kef is 55% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$5.34 TND 15.99
288.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$13.49 TND 40.39
527.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$4.55 TND 13.63
170.77%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$0.65 TND 1.94
766.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$0.52 TND 1.55
615.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.24 TND 0.72
941.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$0.88 TND 2.65
814.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$0.98 TND 2.92
819.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$0.46 TND 1.39
143.48%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$0.20 TND 0.60
1775.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.78 TND 5.34
83.15%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$1.44 TND 4.30
189.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$15.02 TND 45.00
-14.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$6.41 TND 19.20
120.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$14.67 TND 43.94
10.57%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$1.59 TND 4.76
172.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.69 TND 5.06
-13.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.02 TND 3.06
342.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$0.57 TND 1.72
661.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$0.38 TND 1.14
578.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$0.19 TND 0.56
1136.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$0.45 TND 1.36
295.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.29 TND 0.86
665.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$3.45 TND 10.32
186.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$4.33 TND 12.98
248.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$0.70 TND 2.11
317.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$0.93 TND 2.77
272.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.32 TND 0.95
365.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$9.99 TND 29.93
317.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$0.31 TND 0.94
780.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$0.29 TND 0.87
472.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$3.96 TND 11.87
791.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$0.83 TND 2.49
14.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$38.8K TND 116.3K
-7.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$36.7K TND 109.8K
-26.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$26.87 TND 80.5
752.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$10.57 TND 31.65
461.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$13.92 TND 41.70
402.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$27.30 TND 81.8
109.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$12.16 TND 36.42
34.29%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$3.36 TND 10.05
325.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$61.2 TND 183
2359.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$1,972 TND 5,905
988.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$23.11 TND 69.2
128.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$68.0 TND 204
-35.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$39.88 TND 119
112.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$78.3 TND 234
31.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$208 TND 624
814.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$157 TND 470
711.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$365 TND 1,093
903.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$269 TND 804
845.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$939 TND 2,813
710.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$628 TND 1,880
403.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
El Kef
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$168 TND 504
2940.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
11
-38.27%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for El Kef: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
El Kef
$157 87.7% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
El Kef
$187 53.9% $218
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
El Kef
$51 85.7% $307
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
El Kef
$74 79.2% $280
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
El Kef
$94 26.4% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
El Kef
$34 60.4% $52
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
El Kef
$13 77.8% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $208 in El Kef. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2941% 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 $13.00 in El Kef for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $187 per month, with El Kef cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇹🇳 El Kef
🕒 Local time
18:23 6:23 PM
00:23 12:23 AM
6 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
73,710
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX El Kef 9,370 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • El Kef

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 El Kef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or El Kef?
El Kef wins on cost – living expenses run 337% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making El Kef the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in El Kef?
Average pay runs 2941% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to El Kef?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $208 in El Kef. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to El Kef?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $610 in El Kef – a 337% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to El Kef?
A monthly transit pass in El Kef runs roughly 318% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Austin, TX or in El Kef?
At $610 in El Kef versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Kef but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes El Kef the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or El Kef?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to El Kef?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and El Kef are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find El Kef gentler on the wallet – expenses run 337% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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