Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnaul and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Barnaul: $999 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Barnaul
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Barnaul Living Index
130

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

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Barnaul

🇷🇺 Russia

$999

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barnaul and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $999 in Barnaul versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Barnaul $999
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,517 in Barnaul versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Barnaul $1,517
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,035 in Barnaul versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Barnaul $2,035
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Barnaul costs roughly 63% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnaul is 26% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 ₽951

$20.77 $20.77

-45.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.14 ₽3,267

$84.6 $84.6

-53.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 ₽503

$12.32 $12.32

-51.14%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₽219

$5.63 $5.63

-53.29%

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

$0.69 ₽57.4

$3.72 $3.72

-81.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₽46.87

$2.50 $2.50

-77.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₽97.3

$8.05 $8.05

-85.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₽118

$9.01 $9.01

-84.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 ₽86.9

$1.12 $1.12

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₽47.68

$3.75 $3.75

-84.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ₽114

$3.26 $3.26

-58.28%

Eggs

$1.47 ₽123

$4.17 $4.17

-64.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 ₽979

$12.90 $12.90

-9.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 ₽380

$14.16 $14.16

-67.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.84 ₽989

$16.22 $16.22

-27.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₽155

$4.33 $4.33

-57.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₽149

$1.46 $1.46

22.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽161

$4.51 $4.51

-57.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ₽181

$4.34 $4.34

-50.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ₽67.2

$2.58 $2.58

-68.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₽38.71

$2.35 $2.35

-80.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ₽125

$1.78 $1.78

-15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₽36.22

$2.22 $2.22

-80.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 ₽252

$9.88 $9.88

-69.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 ₽800

$15.08 $15.08

-36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽76.6

$2.92 $2.92

-68.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₽116

$3.46 $3.46

-59.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₽46.71

$1.49 $1.49

-62.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.42 ₽2,121

$41.72 $41.72

-39.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₽129

$2.73 $2.73

-43.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 ₽41.80

$1.66 $1.66

-69.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 ₽491

$35.30 $35.30

-83.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽67.0

$0.95 $0.95

-15.79%

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

$24.3K ₽2.0M

$36.0K $36.0K

-32.72%

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

$33.3K ₽2.8M

$27.1K $27.1K

23.06%

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

$109 ₽9,104

$229 $229

-52.36%

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

$6.13 ₽511

$59.4 $59.4

-89.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₽667

$69.9 $69.9

-88.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.64 ₽1,472

$16.33 $16.33

8.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 ₽410

$14.28 $14.28

-65.62%

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

$351 ₽29.3K

$1,506 $1,506

-76.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.2M

$21.5K $21.5K

-32.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 ₽5,334

$52.8 $52.8

21.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.19 ₽3,688

$43.82 $43.82

0.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽9,422

$84.8 $84.8

33.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 ₽8,243

$103 $103

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 ₽37.1K

$1,907 $1,907

-76.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ₽28.0K

$1,274 $1,274

-73.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₽55.1K

$3,664 $3,664

-81.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 ₽42.1K

$2,538 $2,538

-80.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 ₽167.3K

$7,614 $7,614

-73.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 ₽141.6K

$3,157 $3,157

-46.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₽55.4K

$5,121 $5,121

-87.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.83

6.79

236.23%

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

Last update for Barnaul: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Barnaul

$335 33.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 280% $939

Groceries & Markets

Barnaul

$201 20.1%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 102% $204

Eating Out

Barnaul

$154 15.5%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 129% $199

Clothing & Footwear

Barnaul

$144 14.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 11.1% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barnaul

$123 12.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 191% $235

Getting Around

Barnaul

$32 3.2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 85.1% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Barnaul

$9.8 * 1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 774% $76

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 $444 in Barnaul and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 672% 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: $39.00 in Barnaul vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $405 per month, with Barnaul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Barnaul

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

14:10 2:10 PM

02:10 2:10 AM

12 h behind Barnaul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,124

974,447

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

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).

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

USD to RUB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Barnaul Austin, TX 10,720 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Barnaul
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barnaul vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnaul wins on cost – living expenses run 167% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Barnaul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 672% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Barnaul versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $999 per month in Barnaul versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barnaul runs roughly 64% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $999 in Barnaul versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Barnaul but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Barnaul 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, Barnaul and Austin, TX 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 Barnaul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.