Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaj: $816 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Karaj
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Karaj Living Index
130

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

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Karaj

🇮🇷 Iran

$816

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $816 in Karaj versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Karaj $816
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,054 in Karaj versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Karaj $1,054
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,292 in Karaj versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Karaj $1,292
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Karaj costs roughly 69% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karaj is 40% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 $3.79

$20.77 $20.77

-81.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.25 $17.25

$84.6 $84.6

-79.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 $3.92

$12.32 $12.32

-68.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

Cappuccino

$1.11 $1.11

$5.63 $5.63

-80.28%

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

$0.46 $0.46

$3.72 $3.72

-87.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.50 $2.50

-33.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.12 $1.12

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 $0.51

$3.75 $3.75

-86.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.26 $3.26

-36.50%

Eggs

$1.08 $1.08

$4.17 $4.17

-74.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$12.90 $12.90

-66.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$14.16 $14.16

-76.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$16.22 $16.22

-36.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$4.33 $4.33

-80.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.46 $1.46

15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 $0.75

$4.51 $4.51

-83.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$4.34 $4.34

-88.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$2.58 $2.58

-82.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$2.35 $2.35

-80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.78 $1.78

-67.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 $0.19

$2.22 $2.22

-91.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 $2.52

$9.88 $9.88

-74.49%

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)

$0.19 $0.19

$1.49 $1.49

-87.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.23 $13.23

$41.72 $41.72

-68.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$2.73 $2.73

-88.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$1.66 $1.66

-82.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$35.30 $35.30

-92.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.08 $0.08

$0.95 $0.95

-91.58%

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

$49.4K $49.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

37.05%

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

$44.9K $44.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

65.94%

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

$12.86 $12.86

$229 $229

-94.38%

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

$1.58 $1.58

$59.4 $59.4

-97.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.69 $3.69

$69.9 $69.9

-94.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.06 $23.06

$57.2 $57.2

-59.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.06 $10.06

$16.33 $16.33

-38.40%

Cinema Ticket

$1.12 $1.12

$14.28 $14.28

-92.16%

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

$108 $108

$1,506 $1,506

-92.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$817 $817

$21.5K $21.5K

-96.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.45 $25.45

$52.8 $52.8

-51.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.36 $28.36

$43.82 $43.82

-35.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 $95.8

$84.8 $84.8

12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 $74.5

$103 $103

-27.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 $291

$1,907 $1,907

-84.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 $480

$1,274 $1,274

-62.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 $829

$3,664 $3,664

-77.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 $467

$2,538 $2,538

-81.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,249 $1,249

$7,614 $7,614

-83.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$528 $528

$3,157 $3,157

-83.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 $245

$5,121 $5,121

-95.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

238.73%

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

Last update for Karaj: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Karaj

$480 58.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 165% $794

Groceries & Markets

Karaj

$112 13.7%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 261% $293

Clothing & Footwear

Karaj

$101 12.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 26.9% $27

Eating Out

Karaj

$64 7.8%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 454% $290

Sport & Entertainment

Karaj

$25 3.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 239% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karaj

$18 2.2%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 1876% $340

Getting Around

Karaj

$16 1.9%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 273% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Karaj and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1994% 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: $17.00 in Karaj vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $112 vs $405 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Karaj

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:00 11:00 AM

02:30 2:30 AM

8 h 30 min behind Karaj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,712,000

974,447

💱 Currency

USD USD

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

Karaj
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

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

Karaj wins on cost – living expenses run 226% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karaj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1994% 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: $291 in Karaj 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 $816 per month in Karaj versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 226% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karaj runs roughly 215% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $816 in Karaj versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaj but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Karaj 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, Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 226% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.