Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Tehran

For one person, living is cheaper in Tehran: $625 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
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Tehran Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $625 in Tehran.

Austin, TX $2,704
Tehran $625

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,071 in Tehran.

Austin, TX $4,133
Tehran $1,071

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,516 in Tehran.

Austin, TX $5,562
Tehran $1,516

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 332% more expensive than in Tehran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$3.66 $3.66

452.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$17.96 $17.96

373.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$3.96 $3.96

211.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 $0.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$1.39 $1.39

293.53%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.49 $0.49

679.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.65 $1.65

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.70 $0.70

61.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.62 $0.62

509.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.48 $3.48

-6.61%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.23 $1.23

236.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$4.29 $4.29

204.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$3.45 $3.45

314.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$10.40 $10.40

53.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.40 $1.40

212.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.87 $1.87

-22.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.20 $1.20

278.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$0.67 $0.67

525.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.54 $0.54

387.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.47 $0.47

402.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.58 $0.58

203.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.28 $0.28

671.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$2.56 $2.56

283.20%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.11 $0.11

1254.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$5.46 $5.46

641.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.52 $0.52

413.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.29 $0.29

444.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$3.02 $3.02

1068.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.10 $0.10

890.00%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$50.0K $50.0K

-28.45%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$44.5K $44.5K

-38.97%

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

$219 $219

$12.91 $12.91

1598.45%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$1.64 $1.64

3435.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$3.79 $3.79

1703.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$24.40 $24.40

137.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$13.24 $13.24

11.93%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$1.96 $1.96

620.92%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$106 $106

1317.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$2,548 $2,548

742.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$26.42 $26.42

95.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$37.23 $37.23

18.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$117 $117

-27.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$75.0 $75.0

40.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$420 $420

360.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$267 $267

376.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$941 $941

289.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$637 $637

296.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$1,238 $1,238

515.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$708 $708

351.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$211 $211

2319.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

24.79

-72.61%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Tehran: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Tehran

$267 42.4% 79% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Tehran

$128 20.3% 68.3% $275

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Tehran

$66 10.5% 80.9% $282

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Tehran

$18 2.9% 94.7% $327

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Tehran

$115 18.2% 10.7% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Tehran

$28 4.5% 67.1% $58

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Tehran

$7.9 1.3% 86.2% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $420 in Tehran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2320% 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 $18.00 in Tehran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $128 per month, with Tehran cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇮🇷 Tehran

🕒 Local time

02:00 2:00 AM

10:30 10:30 AM

8 h 30 min ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

8,000,000 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Tehran 12,000 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Tehran

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 Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tehran wins on cost – living expenses run 332% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tehran the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2320% 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $420 in Tehran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $625 in Tehran – a 332% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tehran runs roughly 642% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $625 in Tehran versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tehran but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Tehran 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.

Expats usually find Tehran gentler on the wallet – expenses run 332% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.