Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jimma and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,057 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,800 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

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Jimma

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,057

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jimma 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 Jimma and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,057 in Jimma versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Jimma $1,057
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,424 in Jimma versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Jimma $1,424
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,792 in Jimma versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Jimma $1,792
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Jimma costs roughly 61% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jimma is 21% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 ETB 747

$20.22 $20.22

-77.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

Cappuccino

$1.17 ETB 188

$5.47 $5.47

-78.61%

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

$0.59 ETB 95.2

$3.82 $3.82

-84.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 70.0

$2.50 $2.50

-82.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 ETB 452

$8.06 $8.06

-65.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ETB 230

$8.99 $8.99

-84.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ETB 185

$1.13 $1.13

1.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 ETB 58.1

$3.78 $3.78

-90.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$3.25 $3.25

-65.54%

Eggs

$4.02 ETB 646

$4.14 $4.14

-2.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 ETB 1,847

$14.31 $14.31

-19.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ETB 1,835

$15.96 $15.96

-28.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ETB 370

$4.38 $4.38

-47.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.45 $1.45

-22.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 ETB 555

$4.54 $4.54

-24.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ETB 93.8

$4.19 $4.19

-86.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ETB 87.7

$2.63 $2.63

-79.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 ETB 538

$2.36 $2.36

41.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 93.7

$2.16 $2.16

-73.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 ETB 1,065

$14.72 $14.72

-54.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ETB 187

$2.78 $2.78

-58.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ETB 234

$3.48 $3.48

-58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ETB 35.27

$1.49 $1.49

-85.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.38 ETB 2,150

$40.51 $40.51

-66.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ETB 276

$35.29 $35.29

-95.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 ETB 279

$0.99 $0.99

75.76%

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

$51.2K ETB 8.2M

$35.8K $35.8K

43.12%

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

$58.0K ETB 9.3M

$27.2K $27.2K

113.27%

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

$63.4 ETB 10.2K

$219 $219

-71.07%

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

$36.28 ETB 5,829

$58.0 $58.0

-37.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$313 ETB 50.3K

$68.4 $68.4

358.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.06 ETB 5,474

$57.9 $57.9

-41.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

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

$1,509 $1,509

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.7 ETB 14.9K

$44.05 $44.05

110.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 ETB 22.3K

$85.1 $85.1

63.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.5K

$105 $105

9.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 ETB 33.4K

$1,932 $1,932

-89.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 ETB 25.7K

$1,272 $1,272

-87.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ETB 66.7K

$3,670 $3,670

-88.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ETB 49.9K

$2,525 $2,525

-87.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,229 ETB 358.2K

$7,617 $7,617

-70.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 ETB 179.4K

$3,199 $3,199

-65.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 ETB 36.5K

$5,105 $5,105

-95.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

32.55%

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

Last update for Jimma: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jimma

–

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Groceries & Markets

Jimma

–

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Eating Out

Jimma

–

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jimma

–

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Jimma

–

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Jimma

–

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Getting Around

Jimma

–

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Jimma and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2148% 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

🇪🇹 Jimma

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

06:27 6:27 AM

22:27 10:27 PM

8 h behind Jimma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,573

974,447

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

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

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Jimma Austin, TX 13,590 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Jimma
Austin, TX

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

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

Jimma wins on cost – living expenses run 156% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jimma the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2148% 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: $208 in Jimma versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,057 per month in Jimma versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 156% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,057 in Jimma versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jimma but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Jimma 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 Jimma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.