Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kisumu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisumu: $643 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,200 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 Kisumu
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Kisumu Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Kisumu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$643

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $643 in Kisumu.

Austin, TX $2,663
Kisumu $643

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $972 in Kisumu.

Austin, TX $4,133
Kisumu $972

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,302 in Kisumu.

Austin, TX $5,603
Kisumu $1,302

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 314% more expensive than in Kisumu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Kisumu is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$4.67 KES 606

344.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$24.63 KES 3,193

243.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$6.54 KES 848

88.38%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.63 KES 342

114.07%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.67 KES 86.8

455.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.56 KES 72.9

346.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.96 KES 254

310.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$2.72 KES 353

231.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.56 KES 72.1

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.52 KES 67.0

621.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.89 KES 245

72.49%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.64 KES 212

154.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$10.71 KES 1,388

20.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$6.28 KES 814

125.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$5.06 KES 656

220.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.37 KES 437

28.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.89 KES 115

64.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.98 KES 257

127.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.11 KES 144

290.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.07 KES 139

141.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.90 KES 117

161.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.69 KES 89.4

157.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.74 KES 95.6

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.05 KES 395

223.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$7.90 KES 1,024

90.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.30 KES 298

26.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.36 KES 306

46.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.74 KES 96.3

101.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$23.05 KES 2,989

81.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.57 KES 204

73.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.50 KES 195

10.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$2.82 KES 365

1151.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.62 KES 210

-41.36%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$21.5K KES 2.8M

67.72%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$20.6K KES 2.7M

31.60%

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

$229 $229

$54.9 KES 7,119

317.03%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$15.40 KES 1,997

285.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$35.59 KES 4,614

96.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$22.87 KES 2,965

150.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$7.70 KES 998

85.45%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$115 KES 14.9K

1214.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$12.2K KES 1.6M

75.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$11.41 KES 1,479

362.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$19.63 KES 2,545

123.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$15.49 KES 2,008

447.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$15.27 KES 1,979

574.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$151 KES 19.6K

1159.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$139 KES 18.0K

816.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$560 KES 72.6K

554.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$212 KES 27.4K

1099.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$765 KES 99.2K

895.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$779 KES 101.0K

557.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

14.71

-53.84%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Kisumu

$139 21.6% 89.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Kisumu

$188 29.2% 53.6% $217

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Kisumu

$106 16.5% 70.4% $252

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Kisumu

$109 16.9% 69.3% $245

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Kisumu

$28 4.3% 78.3% $100

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Kisumu

$38 6% 55.4% $48

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Kisumu

$35 5.5% 40.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $151 in Kisumu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 557% 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 $25.00 in Kisumu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $188 per month, with Kisumu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇰🇪 Kisumu

🕒 Local time

14:32 2:32 PM

22:32 10:32 PM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

1,155,574

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇰🇪 Kenyan Shilling (Sh)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

KES to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Kisumu 13,980 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Kisumu

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 Kisumu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisumu wins on cost – living expenses run 314% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kisumu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 557% 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 $151 in Kisumu. 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 $643 in Kisumu – a 314% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kisumu runs roughly 81% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $643 in Kisumu versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kisumu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kisumu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kisumu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $643 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kisumu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Kisumu 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 Kisumu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 314% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.