Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ruwi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $636 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Ruwi
🇴🇲 Oman
$636
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $636 in Ruwi.

  • Austin, TX $2,704
  • Ruwi $636

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $830 in Ruwi.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Ruwi $830

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,024 in Ruwi.

  • Austin, TX $5,562
  • Ruwi $1,024

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 325% more expensive than in Ruwi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Ruwi is 53% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 $20.22
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.0 $85.0
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 $12.35
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 $8.06
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.99 $8.99
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$2.05 OMR 0.79
-44.88%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 $3.78
$2.02 OMR 0.78
87.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$1.02 OMR 0.39
218.63%
Eggs
$4.14 $4.14
$1.16 OMR 0.45
256.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$2.06 OMR 0.79
534.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.31 $14.31
$1.96 OMR 0.75
630.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$5.05 OMR 1.94
216.04%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$1.03 OMR 0.40
325.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$0.98 OMR 0.38
47.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$0.98 OMR 0.38
363.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$1.03 OMR 0.40
306.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 $2.63
$0.97 OMR 0.37
171.13%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 $1.76
$0.97 OMR 0.37
81.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.02 OMR 0.39
111.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.81 $9.81
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$14.72 $14.72
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.51 $40.51
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.29 $35.29
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0 $58.0
$26.34 OMR 10.14
120.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$77.6 OMR 29.87
-11.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.9 $57.9
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.82 $14.82
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.13 $14.13
$9.19 OMR 3.54
53.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 $51.7
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.05 $44.05
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 $85.1
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,932 $1,932
$397 OMR 153
386.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 $1,272
$397 OMR 153
220.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,670 $3,670
$918 OMR 353
299.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 $2,525
$575 OMR 221
338.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,617 $7,617
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,199 $3,199
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Ruwi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,105 $5,105
$4,417 OMR 1,700
15.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
0
-

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Ruwi
–
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$403
Ruwi
–
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Ruwi
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$346
Ruwi
–
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Ruwi
–
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Ruwi
–
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Ruwi
–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $397 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇴🇲 Ruwi
🕒 Local time
02:10 2:10 AM
11:10 11:10 AM
9 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.432 OMR (1 OMR = 2.32 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Ruwi 13,510 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Ruwi

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Ruwi?
Ruwi wins on cost – living expenses run 325% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ruwi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Ruwi?
Average pay runs 16% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Ruwi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $397 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Austin, TX or in Ruwi?
Supermarket bills run roughly 237% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Ruwi?
All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $636 in Ruwi – a 325% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Ruwi?
At $636 in Ruwi versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Ruwi?
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 Ruwi?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 325% 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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