Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kollam

For one person, living is cheaper in Kollam: $284 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $28,500 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
14

Cost of Living Index in Kollam
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Kollam Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Kollam

🇮🇳 India

$284

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $284 in Kollam.

Austin, TX $2,663
Kollam $284

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $448 in Kollam.

Austin, TX $4,133
Kollam $448

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $613 in Kollam.

Austin, TX $5,603
Kollam $613

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 839% more expensive than in Kollam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Kollam is 79% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$1.04 ₹98.3

1897.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$6.43 ₹610

1215.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$3.21 ₹305

283.80%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$1.40 ₹133

302.14%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.36 ₹34.41

933.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.11 ₹10.75

2172.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.33 ₹126

505.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$1.87 ₹178

381.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.60 ₹57.1

86.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.49 ₹46.48

665.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$0.50 ₹47.86

552.00%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$0.84 ₹79.3

396.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$3.67 ₹349

251.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$2.03 ₹193

597.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.59 ₹151

172.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.56 ₹53.1

160.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$0.73 ₹69.6

517.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$0.39 ₹37.32

1012.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.35 ₹32.80

637.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.38 ₹36.16

518.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.63 ₹60.1

182.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.25 ₹23.57

788.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.96 ₹471

99.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$2.55 ₹242

491.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.00 ₹190

46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.77 ₹263

24.91%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.32 ₹315

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.16 ₹15.03

831.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$7.00 ₹665

496.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.83 ₹78.4

228.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.30 ₹28.44

453.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$2.10 ₹199

1580.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.11 ₹105

-14.41%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$9,113 ₹865.3K

295.58%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$16.5K ₹1.6M

64.26%

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

$229 $229

$32.54 ₹3,089

603.72%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$3.04 ₹289

1853.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$5.20 ₹494

1244.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$13.66 ₹1,297

319.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$10.25 ₹973

59.32%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$1.54 ₹146

827.27%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$20.80 ₹1,975

7139.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$2,666 ₹253.2K

704.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$16.55 ₹1,571

219.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$23.17 ₹2,200

89.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$25.79 ₹2,449

228.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$24.53 ₹2,329

319.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$83.1 ₹7,893

2194.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$46.94 ₹4,457

2614.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$183 ₹17.4K

1900.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$117 ₹11.1K

2075.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$830 ₹78.8K

817.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$441 ₹41.9K

615.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$513 ₹48.7K

899.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

9.13

-25.63%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kollam: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Kollam

$47 16.6% 96.3% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Kollam

$82 28.8% 79.8% $323

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Kollam

$41 14.4% 88.6% $318

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Kollam

$47 16.6% 86.7% $307

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Kollam

$41 14.3% 68.3% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Kollam

$17 5.9% 80.5% $69

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Kollam

$10 3.5% 83% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $83.1 in Kollam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 899% 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 $6.00 in Kollam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $82.0 per month, with Kollam cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇮🇳 Kollam

🕒 Local time

15:46 3:46 PM

02:16 2:16 AM

10 h 30 min ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

367,107

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

INR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Kollam 15,620 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Kollam

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 Kollam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kollam wins on cost – living expenses run 839% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kollam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 899% 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 $83.1 in Kollam. 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 $284 in Kollam – a 839% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kollam runs roughly 496% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $284 in Kollam versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kollam but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kollam 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 Kollam 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 Kollam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 839% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.