Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Volgograd

For one person, living is cheaper in Volgograd: $859 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,600 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
42

Cost of Living Index in Volgograd
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Volgograd Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Volgograd

🇷🇺 Russia

$859

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $859 in Volgograd.

Austin, TX $2,663
Volgograd $859

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,415 in Volgograd.

Austin, TX $4,133
Volgograd $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,970 in Volgograd.

Austin, TX $5,603
Volgograd $1,970

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 210% more expensive than in Volgograd, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Volgograd is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$6.66 ₽556

211.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$47.77 ₽3,987

77.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$6.34 ₽529

94.32%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.70 ₽226

108.52%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.91 ₽75.7

308.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.58 ₽48.56

331.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.16 ₽96.7

593.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$1.74 ₽146

417.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.04 ₽86.6

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.60 ₽49.87

525.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.12 ₽93.4

191.07%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.37 ₽114

204.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$7.33 ₽611

75.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.62 ₽385

206.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$11.10 ₽926

46.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.19 ₽99.2

263.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.45 ₽121

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.41 ₽118

219.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.41 ₽201

80.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.71 ₽59.3

263.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.49 ₽41.29

379.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.37 ₽30.96

381.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.66 ₽55.0

236.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.81 ₽235

251.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$8.82 ₽736

70.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.10 ₽91.6

165.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.89 ₽158

83.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.47 ₽39.01

217.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$15.13 ₽1,263

175.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$3.01 ₽252

1072.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.80 ₽67.1

18.75%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$26.5K ₽2.2M

35.95%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

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

$229 $229

$82.8 ₽6,908

176.66%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$10.12 ₽845

486.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$7.94 ₽663

780.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

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

$1,506 $1,506

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$109 ₽9,057

-51.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$70.6 ₽5,892

-37.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$54.7 ₽4,564

55.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$177 ₽14.8K

-41.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$585 ₽48.9K

225.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$260 ₽21.7K

390.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,182 ₽98.6K

210.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$526 ₽43.9K

382.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,403 ₽117.1K

442.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,297 ₽108.2K

143.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$596 ₽49.8K

758.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

21.33

-68.17%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Volgograd: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Volgograd

$260 30.2% 79.6% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Volgograd

$176 20.5% 56.4% $228

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Volgograd

$101 11.7% 71.9% $257

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Volgograd

$120 14% 66.1% $234

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Volgograd

$185 21.5% 44.6% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Volgograd

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Volgograd

$17 * 2% 71% $42

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 $585 in Volgograd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 759% 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 $48.00 in Volgograd for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $176 per month, with Volgograd cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇷🇺 Volgograd

🕒 Local time

01:26 1:26 AM

09:26 9:26 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

1,004,763

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

RUB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Volgograd 10,470 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Volgograd

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 Volgograd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Volgograd wins on cost – living expenses run 210% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Volgograd the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 759% 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 $585 in Volgograd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Volgograd – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Volgograd runs roughly 176% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $859 in Volgograd versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Volgograd but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Volgograd 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 Volgograd gentler on the wallet – expenses run 210% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.