Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazar-i-Sharif and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $297 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $28,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Mazar-i-Sharif
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Mazar-i-Sharif Living Index
129

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

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Mazar-i-Sharif

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$297

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $297 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Mazar-i-Sharif $297
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $470 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Mazar-i-Sharif $470
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $643 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Mazar-i-Sharif $643
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Mazar-i-Sharif costs roughly 89% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mazar-i-Sharif is 78% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.31 ؋149

$20.22 $20.22

-88.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.68 ؋1,015

$85.0 $85.0

-81.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ؋252

$12.35 $12.35

-68.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 ؋487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 ؋503

Cappuccino

$1.19 ؋77.3

$5.47 $5.47

-78.24%

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

$0.56 ؋36.07

$3.82 $3.82

-85.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ؋20.97

$2.50 $2.50

-87.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$0.60 ؋38.87

$1.13 $1.13

-46.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 ؋9.41

$3.78 $3.78

-96.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ؋139

$3.25 $3.25

-33.85%

Eggs

$1.59 ؋103

$4.14 $4.14

-61.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ؋513

$13.08 $13.08

-39.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ؋218

$14.31 $14.31

-76.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 ؋404

$15.96 $15.96

-60.96%

Apples (1kg)

$0.59 ؋38.23

$4.38 $4.38

-86.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ؋76.0

$1.45 $1.45

-19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 ؋52.6

$4.54 $4.54

-82.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 ؋39.57

$4.19 $4.19

-85.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ؋33.06

$2.63 $2.63

-80.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ؋25.83

$2.36 $2.36

-83.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ؋33.75

$1.76 $1.76

-70.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ؋20.76

$2.16 $2.16

-85.19%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.82 ؋118

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.56 ؋101

$9.81 $9.81

-84.10%

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)

$0.80 ؋52.0

$1.49 $1.49

-46.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ؋98.7

$35.29 $35.29

-95.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ؋96.3

$0.99 $0.99

50.51%

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

$9,933 ؋643.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-72.26%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

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

$83.8 ؋5,425

$219 $219

-61.80%

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

$16.94 ؋1,097

$58.0 $58.0

-70.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.69 ؋757

$57.9 $57.9

-79.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.91 ؋253

$14.82 $14.82

-73.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 ؋306

$14.13 $14.13

-66.60%

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

$78.1 ؋5,058

$1,509 $1,509

-94.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.14 ؋851

$51.7 $51.7

-74.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.75 ؋1,214

$105 $105

-82.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$231 ؋15.0K

$5,105 $5,105

-95.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mazar-i-Sharif

$106 36.2%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 279% $297

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mazar-i-Sharif

$101 * 34.3%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 243% $245

Eating Out

Mazar-i-Sharif

$48 16.3%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 625% $300

Sport & Entertainment

Mazar-i-Sharif

$21 7.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 308% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Mazar-i-Sharif

$14 * 4.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 797% $114

Getting Around

Mazar-i-Sharif

$3.2 * 1.1%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 1676% $54

Accommodation & Living

Mazar-i-Sharif

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Austin, TX pays 2111% 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: $16.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $403 per month, with Mazar-i-Sharif cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

12:29 12:29 PM

02:59 2:59 AM

9 h 30 min behind Mazar-i-Sharif

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

300,600

974,447

💱 Currency

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AFN – Afghanistan Afghani Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇫 Afghanistan Afghani (؋)

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 64.76 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.64 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

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

USD to AFN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mazar-i-Sharif Austin, TX 12,400 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Mazar-i-Sharif
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

Mazar-i-Sharif vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mazar-i-Sharif wins on cost – living expenses run 811% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mazar-i-Sharif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2111% 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.

Childcare runs $78.1 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,509 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $297 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mazar-i-Sharif but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Mazar-i-Sharif 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 Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 811% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.