Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lushnje

For one person, living is cheaper in Lushnje: $1,195 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 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
58

Cost of Living Index in Lushnje
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Lushnje Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Lushnje

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,195

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,195 in Lushnje.

Austin, TX $2,663
Lushnje $1,195

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,844 in Lushnje.

Austin, TX $4,133
Lushnje $1,844

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,493 in Lushnje.

Austin, TX $5,603
Lushnje $2,493

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 123% more expensive than in Lushnje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Lushnje is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$10.05 ALL 809

106.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$54.4 ALL 4,383

55.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.90 ALL 878

13.03%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.23 ALL 180

152.47%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.40 ALL 193

55.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.23 ALL 99.4

103.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.51 ALL 283

129.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.08 ALL 328

120.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.20 ALL 177

-49.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.13 ALL 91.3

231.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.34 ALL 189

39.32%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.80 ALL 306

9.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$12.52 ALL 1,009

3.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.00 ALL 725

57.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$16.76 ALL 1,350

-3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.94 ALL 156

123.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.42 ALL 195

-39.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.21 ALL 178

104.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.88 ALL 151

130.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.02 ALL 81.8

152.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.29 ALL 104

82.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.43 ALL 115

24.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.77 ALL 62.3

188.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.74 ALL 382

108.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$10.50 ALL 846

43.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.55 ALL 125

88.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.09 ALL 169

65.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.51 ALL 40.97

192.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$17.48 ALL 1,408

138.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.63 ALL 292

-24.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.69 ALL 297

-55.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$18.04 ALL 1,452

95.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.31 ALL 186

-58.87%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$33.7K ALL 2.7M

6.85%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.5K ALL 2.9M

-23.78%

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

$229 $229

$98.5 ALL 7,929

132.57%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$18.19 ALL 1,465

226.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$19.49 ALL 1,570

258.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$58.0 ALL 4,674

-1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$10.02 ALL 807

42.51%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$347 ALL 27.9K

334.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$8,195 ALL 659.9K

161.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$49.07 ALL 3,952

7.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$47.39 ALL 3,817

-7.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$116 ALL 9,341

-26.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$113 ALL 9,065

-8.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$475 ALL 38.2K

301.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$326 ALL 26.3K

290.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$706 ALL 56.9K

418.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$473 ALL 38.1K

436.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,643 ALL 132.3K

363.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,053 ALL 84.8K

199.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$611 ALL 49.2K

738.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.39

25.97%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lushnje: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Lushnje

$326 27.3% 74.4% $948

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Lushnje

$287 24% 29.1% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Lushnje

$136 11.4% 62% $222

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Lushnje

$180 15.1% 49.1% $174

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Lushnje

$146 12.2% 14.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Lushnje

$78 6.5% 9% $7.7

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Lushnje

$42 3.5% 29.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $475 in Lushnje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 738% 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 $54.0 in Lushnje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $287 per month, with Lushnje cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇦🇱 Lushnje

🕒 Local time

08:10 8:10 AM

15:10 3:10 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

31,105

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 ALL = 1.24 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇱 Albanian Lek (L)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

ALL to USD in detail →

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Austin, TX Lushnje 9,820 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Lushnje

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 Lushnje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lushnje wins on cost – living expenses run 123% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lushnje the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 738% 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 $475 in Lushnje. 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 $1,195 in Lushnje – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lushnje runs roughly 139% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,195 in Lushnje versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lushnje but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Lushnje 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 Lushnje 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 Lushnje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.