Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sakakah

For one person, living is cheaper in Sakakah: $1,188 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 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
58

Cost of Living Index in Sakakah
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Sakakah Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Sakakah

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,188

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,188 in Sakakah.

Austin, TX $2,663
Sakakah $1,188

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,756 in Sakakah.

Austin, TX $4,133
Sakakah $1,756

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,324 in Sakakah.

Austin, TX $5,603
Sakakah $2,324

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 124% more expensive than in Sakakah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Sakakah is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$5.73 SAR 21.49

262.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$37.30 SAR 140

126.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$8.20 SAR 30.76

50.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.50 SAR 13.13

60.86%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.68 SAR 2.55

447.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.32 SAR 1.19

681.25%

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

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-34.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.31 SAR 4.91

186.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.33 SAR 8.75

39.91%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.35 SAR 8.80

77.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$7.41 SAR 27.81

74.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$8.08 SAR 30.31

75.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$12.76 SAR 47.89

27.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.23 SAR 8.36

94.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.59 SAR 5.98

183.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.58 SAR 5.93

174.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.17 SAR 4.39

120.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.28 SAR 4.80

83.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.21 SAR 4.55

47.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.54 SAR 2.01

311.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$6.72 SAR 25.22

47.02%

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

$1.09 SAR 4.08

36.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$37.36 SAR 140

11.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.62 SAR 9.84

4.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-11.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$13.31 SAR 49.96

165.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.60 SAR 2.26

58.33%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$44.8K SAR 168.1K

-19.51%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

27.88%

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

$229 $229

$105 SAR 393

118.82%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$32.57 SAR 122

82.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$66.0 SAR 248

5.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$80.3 SAR 301

-28.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$13.30 SAR 49.89

7.37%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$417 SAR 1,565

261.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$8,055 SAR 30.2K

166.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$43.19 SAR 162

22.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$55.4 SAR 208

-20.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$97.4 SAR 366

-13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$85.7 SAR 321

20.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$573 SAR 2,150

232.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$378 SAR 1,417

237.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$821 SAR 3,081

346.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$566 SAR 2,123

348.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,363 SAR 8,868

222.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,366 SAR 5,125

131.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$949 SAR 3,562

439.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.54

22.56%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Sakakah

$378 31.8% 70.4% $896

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Sakakah

$203 17.1% 49.8% $201

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Sakakah

$203 17.1% 43.3% $155

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Sakakah

$116 9.8% 67.1% $238

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Sakakah

$127 10.7% 1% $1.2

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Sakakah

$107 9% 24.5% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Sakakah

$54 4.5% 8.4% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $573 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 439% 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 $37.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $203 per month, with Sakakah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇦 Sakakah

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

10:59 10:59 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

242,813

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

SAR to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Sakakah 11,970 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Sakakah

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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sakakah wins on cost – living expenses run 124% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sakakah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 439% 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 $573 in Sakakah. 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 $1,188 in Sakakah – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah runs roughly 12% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,188 in Sakakah versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sakakah but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sakakah 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 Sakakah 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 Sakakah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.