Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Irkutsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Irkutsk: $1,013 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Irkutsk
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Irkutsk Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Irkutsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,013

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,013 in Irkutsk.

Austin, TX $2,704
Irkutsk $1,013

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,501 in Irkutsk.

Austin, TX $4,133
Irkutsk $1,501

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,988 in Irkutsk.

Austin, TX $5,562
Irkutsk $1,988

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 167% more expensive than in Irkutsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Irkutsk is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$7.18 ₽611

181.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$32.58 ₽2,772

160.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$5.81 ₽494

112.56%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.03 ₽258

80.53%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$1.60 ₽136

138.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.65 ₽55.1

284.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.69 ₽229

199.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$4.04 ₽344

122.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.20 ₽102

-5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.64 ₽54.5

490.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.22 ₽189

46.40%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.59 ₽135

160.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$11.69 ₽995

11.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$6.04 ₽514

136.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$11.24 ₽956

41.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.89 ₽161

131.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.99 ₽169

-27.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.75 ₽149

159.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.47 ₽295

20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.72 ₽61.4

265.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.69 ₽58.6

242.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.79 ₽152

-1.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.65 ₽55.6

232.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$2.70 ₽230

263.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$7.17 ₽610

105.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.02 ₽86.7

172.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.90 ₽162

83.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.57 ₽48.62

161.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$15.79 ₽1,344

156.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.19 ₽102

124.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.18 ₽14.94

777.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$8.91 ₽758

296.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.79 ₽66.8

25.32%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.0K ₽2.5M

23.44%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$36.8K ₽3.1M

-26.17%

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

$219 $219

$118 ₽10.0K

86.44%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$5.84 ₽497

892.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$11.41 ₽971

499.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$34.35 ₽2,923

68.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$21.13 ₽1,798

-29.86%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$6.64 ₽565

112.80%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$294 ₽25.0K

413.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$3,121 ₽265.6K

587.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$58.7 ₽4,992

-11.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$23.42 ₽1,993

88.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$100 ₽8,516

-14.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$113 ₽9,642

-7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$438 ₽37.2K

341.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$309 ₽26.3K

311.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$750 ₽63.8K

389.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$432 ₽36.8K

484.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$2,712 ₽230.8K

180.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$1,807 ₽153.7K

77.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$752 ₽64.0K

578.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

24.57

-72.36%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Irkutsk

$309 30.7% 75.7% $963

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Irkutsk

$220 21.9% 45.4% $183

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Irkutsk

$142 14.1% 59.2% $206

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Irkutsk

$135 13.4% 61% $211

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Irkutsk

$133 13.2% 3.3% $4.2

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Irkutsk

$48 4.7% 44.7% $39

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Irkutsk

$20 2% 64.7% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $438 in Irkutsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 579% 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 $33.00 in Irkutsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $220 per month, with Irkutsk cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇷🇺 Irkutsk

🕒 Local time

00:25 12:25 AM

13:25 1:25 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

617,515

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 RUB = 1.18 USD

100 RUB = 1.05 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 85.09 RUB (100 RUB = 1.18 USD). 1 EUR = 95.44 RUB (100 RUB = 1.05 EUR).

RUB to USD in detail →

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Austin, TX Irkutsk 10,590 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Irkutsk

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 Irkutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Irkutsk wins on cost – living expenses run 167% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Irkutsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 579% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $438 in Irkutsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,013 in Irkutsk – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Irkutsk runs roughly 157% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Irkutsk versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Irkutsk but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Irkutsk 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 Irkutsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.