Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Mokpo

For one person, living is cheaper in Mokpo: $1,431 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Mokpo
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,431
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,431 in Mokpo.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Mokpo $1,431

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,222 in Mokpo.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Mokpo $2,222

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,013 in Mokpo.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Mokpo $3,013

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 86% more expensive than in Mokpo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Mokpo 6% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$7.49 ₩9,959
177.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$34.10 ₩45.3K
148.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$6.71 ₩8,920
83.61%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.70 ₩4,916
52.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$1.61 ₩2,138
131.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.71 ₩943
252.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$3.50 ₩4,657
130.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$4.42 ₩5,873
103.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$2.26 ₩3,002
-50.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$3.08 ₩4,097
21.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.78 ₩3,694
17.27%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$2.68 ₩3,560
55.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$11.07 ₩14.7K
16.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$7.84 ₩10.4K
80.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$21.31 ₩28.3K
-23.89%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$7.70 ₩10.2K
-43.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$3.46 ₩4,604
-57.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$7.24 ₩9,631
-37.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$6.00 ₩7,972
-27.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.62 ₩4,812
-28.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.57 ₩3,422
-8.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.76 ₩3,671
-35.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.33 ₩1,769
66.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$3.32 ₩4,411
197.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$18.35 ₩24.4K
-17.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.26 ₩3,008
29.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$3.53 ₩4,690
-1.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.09 ₩1,452
36.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.37 ₩4,476
-18.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$0.61 ₩815
172.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$12.76 ₩17.0K
176.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.40 ₩1,864
-32.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$29.1K ₩38.7M
23.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$33.2K ₩44.2M
-18.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$200 ₩266.0K
14.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$36.71 ₩48.8K
61.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$22.40 ₩29.8K
212.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$53.0 ₩70.4K
8.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$11.81 ₩15.7K
38.27%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$11.12 ₩14.8K
28.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$530 ₩704.7K
184.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$21.5K ₩28.6M
-0.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$64.9 ₩86.3K
-18.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$63.2 ₩84.1K
-30.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$74.3 ₩98.8K
14.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$99.2 ₩131.9K
3.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$482 ₩640.5K
295.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$362 ₩481.3K
251.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,169 ₩1.6M
213.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$750 ₩997.3K
238.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$7,033 ₩9.4M
8.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$5,549 ₩7.4M
-43.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Mokpo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
4.1
65.61%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mokpo: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Mokpo
$362 71.6% $912
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Mokpo
$428 5.7% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Mokpo
$259 27.7% $99
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Mokpo
$160 54.8% $194
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Mokpo
$136 6.1% $7.8
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Mokpo
$75 12.4% $11
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Mokpo
$11 * 81.6% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $482 in Mokpo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $34.00 in Mokpo. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $428, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇰🇷 Mokpo
🕒 Local time
00:59 12:59 AM
14:59 2:59 PM
14 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
237,739
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Mokpo 11,430 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Mokpo

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 Mokpo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Mokpo?
Mokpo wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mokpo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Mokpo?
You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $2,146 in Mokpo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Mokpo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $482 in Mokpo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Mokpo?
Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $530 in Mokpo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Mokpo?
Dining out is cheaper in Mokpo – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Austin, TX or in Mokpo?
At $1,431 in Mokpo versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mokpo but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Mokpo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Mokpo?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Mokpo?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Mokpo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Mokpo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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