Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Karaj

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaj: $816 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Karaj
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Karaj Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Karaj

🇮🇷 Iran

$816

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $816 in Karaj.

Austin, TX $2,663
Karaj $816

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,054 in Karaj.

Austin, TX $4,133
Karaj $1,054

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,292 in Karaj.

Austin, TX $5,603
Karaj $1,292

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 226% more expensive than in Karaj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Karaj is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.79 $3.79

448.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$17.25 $17.25

390.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$3.92 $3.92

214.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$1.11 $1.11

407.21%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.46 $0.46

708.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.66 $1.66

50.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.70 $0.70

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.51 $0.51

635.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.07 $2.07

57.49%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.08 $1.08

286.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$4.31 $4.31

199.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$3.30 $3.30

329.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$10.38 $10.38

56.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$0.86 $0.86

403.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.68 $1.68

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$0.75 $0.75

501.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$0.49 $0.49

785.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.46 $0.46

460.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.47 $0.47

400.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.57 $0.57

212.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.19 $0.19

1068.42%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.52 $2.52

292.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.19 $0.19

684.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$13.23 $13.23

215.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.31 $0.31

780.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.29 $0.29

472.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$2.66 $2.66

1227.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.08 $0.08

1087.50%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$49.4K $49.4K

-27.03%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$44.9K $44.9K

-39.74%

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

$229 $229

$12.86 $12.86

1680.64%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$1.58 $1.58

3658.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$3.69 $3.69

1794.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$23.06 $23.06

148.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$10.06 $10.06

62.33%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$1.12 $1.12

1175.00%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$108 $108

1288.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$817 $817

2526.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$25.45 $25.45

107.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$28.36 $28.36

54.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$95.8 $95.8

-11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$74.5 $74.5

38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$291 $291

555.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$480 $480

165.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$829 $829

342.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$467 $467

443.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,249 $1,249

509.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$528 $528

498.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$245 $245

1994.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

-70.48%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karaj: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Karaj

$480 58.8% 62.3% $794

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Karaj

$112 13.7% 72.3% $293

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Karaj

$18 2.2% 94.9% $340

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Karaj

$64 7.8% 81.9% $290

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Karaj

$101 12.4% 21.2% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Karaj

$25 3.1% 70.5% $60

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Karaj

$16 1.9% 73.2% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $291 in Karaj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1994% 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 $17.00 in Karaj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $112 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇮🇷 Karaj

🕒 Local time

01:02 1:02 AM

09:32 9:32 AM

8 h 30 min ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

1,712,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Karaj 11,970 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Karaj

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 Karaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaj wins on cost – living expenses run 226% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karaj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1994% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $291 in Karaj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $816 in Karaj – a 226% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karaj runs roughly 215% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $816 in Karaj versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaj but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Karaj 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 Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 226% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.