Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kairouan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kairouan: $634 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.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Kairouan
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$634
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $634 in Kairouan.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Kairouan $634

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $975 in Kairouan.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Kairouan $975

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,316 in Kairouan.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Kairouan $1,316

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Kairouan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$2.66 TND 7.96
680.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$15.64 TND 46.83
440.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$6.17 TND 18.49
99.68%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$0.96 TND 2.87
486.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$0.80 TND 2.39
365.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.40 TND 1.20
525.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$1.71 TND 5.11
370.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$2.64 TND 7.92
241.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Kairouan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$0.45 TND 1.36
148.89%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$0.07 TND 0.22
5257.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.75 TND 5.25
86.29%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$1.49 TND 4.45
179.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$10.01 TND 29.97
28.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$5.42 TND 16.22
161.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$11.92 TND 35.70
36.07%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.19 TND 6.57
97.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.28 TND 6.82
-35.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.13 TND 3.38
299.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$0.77 TND 2.30
463.64%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$0.65 TND 1.94
296.92%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$0.62 TND 1.86
279.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$0.53 TND 1.57
235.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.26 TND 0.78
753.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$3.34 TND 10.00
195.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$6.85 TND 20.52
120.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.28 TND 3.84
128.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.55 TND 4.63
123.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Kairouan
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
$9.94 TND 29.77
319.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$0.29 TND 0.86
841.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$0.34 TND 1.00
388.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$1.76 TND 5.27
1905.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$0.80 TND 2.39
18.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$39.1K TND 117.1K
-7.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$36.1K TND 108.3K
-25.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Kairouan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$60.0 TND 180
281.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$9.27 TND 27.77
540.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$20.01 TND 59.9
249.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Kairouan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$23.03 TND 69.0
148.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$12.53 TND 37.53
30.33%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$4.59 TND 13.75
211.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Kairouan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$106 TND 317
1323.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$3,221 TND 9,647
566.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Kairouan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$23.58 TND 70.6
123.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$61.1 TND 183
-28.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$46.83 TND 140
81.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$87.5 TND 262
17.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Kairouan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$116 TND 347
1548.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$155 TND 463
723.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$372 TND 1,115
884.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$271 TND 812
836.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$953 TND 2,855
698.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$609 TND 1,825
418.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Kairouan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$320 TND 959
1498.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
10.28
-33.95%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kairouan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Kairouan
$155 87.9% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Kairouan
$176 56.6% $229
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Kairouan
$89 75.1% $269
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Kairouan
$70 80.3% $284
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Kairouan
$99 23% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Kairouan
$32 62.4% $54
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Kairouan
$13 77.5% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $116 in Kairouan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1498% 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 $16.00 in Kairouan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $176 per month, with Kairouan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇹🇳 Kairouan
🕒 Local time
00:08 12:08 AM
06:08 6:08 AM
6 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
139,070
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 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 Kairouan 9,500 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Kairouan

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 Kairouan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Kairouan?
Kairouan 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 Kairouan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Kairouan?
Average pay runs 1498% 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 Kairouan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $116 in Kairouan. 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 Kairouan?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $634 in Kairouan – a 320% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Kairouan?
A monthly transit pass in Kairouan runs roughly 320% 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 $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Kairouan?
At $634 in Kairouan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kairouan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kairouan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Kairouan?
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 Kairouan?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Kairouan 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 Kairouan 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.

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