Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Mahboula

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahboula: $1,235 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 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
59

Cost of Living Index in Mahboula
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Mahboula Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Mahboula

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,235

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,235 in Mahboula.

Austin, TX $2,663
Mahboula $1,235

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,007 in Mahboula.

Austin, TX $4,133
Mahboula $2,007

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,780 in Mahboula.

Austin, TX $5,603
Mahboula $2,780

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 116% more expensive than in Mahboula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Mahboula is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$6.31 KWD 1.94

229.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$25.81 KWD 7.95

227.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.08 KWD 2.80

35.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 KWD 1.00

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.32 KWD 1.64

5.83%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.47 KWD 0.14

691.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.17 KWD 0.05

1370.59%

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

$1.58 KWD 0.49

-29.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.00 KWD 0.31

275.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.90 KWD 0.59

71.58%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.29 KWD 0.40

223.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$4.38 KWD 1.35

194.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$6.58 KWD 2.03

115.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$10.36 KWD 3.19

56.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.43 KWD 0.75

78.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-22.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.80 KWD 0.55

150.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.13 KWD 0.35

284.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.36 KWD 0.42

89.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.09 KWD 0.34

115.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.34 KWD 0.72

-23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.49 KWD 0.15

353.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KWD 0.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$1.59 KWD 0.49

521.38%

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

$0.77 KWD 0.24

93.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$48.84 KWD 15.05

-14.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.57 KWD 0.48

73.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.59 KWD 0.49

4.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$5.56 KWD 1.71

534.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.17 KWD 0.05

458.82%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$19.3K KWD 5,936

87.11%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$18.0K KWD 5,544

50.45%

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

$229 $229

$65.2 KWD 20.10

251.10%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$15.94 KWD 4.91

272.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$30.15 KWD 9.29

131.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$96.5 KWD 29.73

-40.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$47.47 KWD 14.63

-65.60%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$11.44 KWD 3.53

24.83%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$296 KWD 91.1

409.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$6,633 KWD 2,044

223.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$37.47 KWD 11.54

40.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$39.64 KWD 12.21

10.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$96.9 KWD 29.84

-12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$87.3 KWD 26.90

18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$710 KWD 219

168.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$507 KWD 156

151.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,761 KWD 543

108.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,141 KWD 351

122.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,277 KWD 393

301.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.53

3.98%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Mahboula

$507 41.1% 60.2% $767

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Mahboula

$174 14.1% 57.1% $231

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Mahboula

$111 9% 68.9% $247

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Mahboula

$144 11.7% 59.3% $210

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Mahboula

$118 9.5% 8.1% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Mahboula

$119 9.7% 39.2% $34

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Mahboula

$61 5% 4.7% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $710 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 301% 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 $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $174 per month, with Mahboula cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇰🇼 Mahboula

🕒 Local time

22:43 10:43 PM

06:43 6:43 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

18,178

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 KWD = 3.25 USD

1 KWD = 2.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KWD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇰🇼 Kuwaiti Dinar (د.ك)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.25 USD). 1 EUR = 0.346 KWD (1 KWD = 2.89 EUR).

KWD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Mahboula 12,480 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Mahboula

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 Mahboula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahboula wins on cost – living expenses run 116% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mahboula the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 301% 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 $710 in Mahboula. 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 $1,235 in Mahboula – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mahboula runs roughly 17% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,235 in Mahboula versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula 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 Mahboula 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 Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.