Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Mahabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahabad: $522 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $25,700 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
26

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
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Mahabad Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$522

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $522 in Mahabad.

Austin, TX $2,663
Mahabad $522

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $849 in Mahabad.

Austin, TX $4,133
Mahabad $849

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,177 in Mahabad.

Austin, TX $5,603
Mahabad $1,177

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 410% more expensive than in Mahabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Mahabad is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$2.97 $2.97

599.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$17.06 $17.06

395.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.06 $4.06

203.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 $0.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$1.13 $1.13

398.23%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.52 $0.52

615.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.94 $0.94

165.96%

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

$0.65 $0.65

72.31%

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

$1.18 $1.18

253.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$4.30 $4.30

200.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$3.21 $3.21

341.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$7.58 $7.58

113.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.00 $1.00

333.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.55 $1.55

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$0.86 $0.86

424.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$0.61 $0.61

611.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.54 $0.54

377.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.47 $0.47

400.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.53 $0.53

235.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.26 $0.26

753.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 $0.92

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

$2.14 $2.14

361.68%

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

$0.15 $0.15

893.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$8.76 $8.76

376.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.44 $0.44

520.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.29 $0.29

472.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$2.87 $2.87

1129.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.10 $0.10

850.00%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$47.7K $47.7K

-24.47%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$47.6K $47.6K

-43.18%

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

$229 $229

$12.32 $12.32

1758.69%

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

$3.76 $3.76

1759.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$18.63 $18.63

207.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$11.75 $11.75

38.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$1.97 $1.97

624.87%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$106 $106

1314.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$2,234 $2,234

860.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$23.20 $23.20

127.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$28.48 $28.48

53.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$96.3 $96.3

-11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$71.4 $71.4

44.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$264 $264

622.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$211 $211

503.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$728 $728

403.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$408 $408

522.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,131 $1,131

573.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$530 $530

495.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$253 $253

1925.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

24.3

-72.06%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mahabad: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Mahabad

$211 40.5% 83.4% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Mahabad

$105 20.1% 74.1% $300

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Mahabad

$18 3.4% 95.1% $341

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Mahabad

$55 10.6% 84.4% $299

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Mahabad

$99 18.9% 22.9% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Mahabad

$23 4.3% 73.7% $63

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Mahabad

$11 2.2% 80.8% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $264 in Mahabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1925% 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 Mahabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $105 per month, with Mahabad cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🕒 Local time

13:20 1:20 PM

21:50 9:50 PM

8 h 30 min ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

208,541

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Mahabad 11,640 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Mahabad

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 Mahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahabad wins on cost – living expenses run 410% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mahabad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1925% 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 $264 in Mahabad. 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 $522 in Mahabad – a 410% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mahabad runs roughly 376% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $522 in Mahabad versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahabad but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Mahabad 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 Mahabad 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 Mahabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 410% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.