Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Medan: $613 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Medan
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Medan Living Index
130

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

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Medan

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$613

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $613 in Medan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Medan $613
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $940 in Medan versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Medan $940
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,266 in Medan versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Medan $1,266
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Medan costs roughly 77% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medan is 55% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

$20.77 $20.77

-91.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.30 Rp 149.4K

$84.6 $84.6

-90.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

$12.32 $12.32

-76.06%

Cappuccino

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$5.63 $5.63

-72.82%

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

$0.35 Rp 6,215

$3.72 $3.72

-90.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,534

$2.50 $2.50

-90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

$8.05 $8.05

-79.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

$9.01 $9.01

-60.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

$1.12 $1.12

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$3.75 $3.75

-68.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$3.26 $3.26

-75.15%

Eggs

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$4.17 $4.17

-68.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 Rp 146.2K

$12.90 $12.90

-37.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

$14.16 $14.16

-74.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 Rp 114.5K

$16.22 $16.22

-60.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 43.1K

$4.33 $4.33

-44.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

$1.46 $1.46

-28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$4.51 $4.51

-68.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$4.34 $4.34

-78.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$2.58 $2.58

-67.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$2.35 $2.35

-23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 Rp 6,905

$1.78 $1.78

-78.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,872

$2.22 $2.22

-80.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

$9.88 $9.88

-70.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 Rp 282.9K

$15.08 $15.08

4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

$2.92 $2.92

-37.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

$3.46 $3.46

-13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$1.49 $1.49

-81.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 Rp 106.7K

$41.72 $41.72

-85.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,186

$2.73 $2.73

-81.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 Rp 3,465

$1.66 $1.66

-88.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.95 $0.95

-15.79%

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

$24.7K Rp 444.1M

$36.0K $36.0K

-31.56%

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

$32.2K Rp 579.9M

$27.1K $27.1K

18.99%

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

$84.8 Rp 1.5M

$229 $229

-62.95%

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

$3.17 Rp 57.0K

$59.4 $59.4

-94.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.57 Rp 424.3K

$69.9 $69.9

-66.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.95 Rp 305.0K

$57.2 $57.2

-70.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.41 Rp 151.5K

$16.33 $16.33

-48.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 59.3K

$14.28 $14.28

-76.96%

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

$112 Rp 2.0M

$1,506 $1,506

-92.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,692 Rp 30.5M

$21.5K $21.5K

-92.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 975.9K

$52.8 $52.8

2.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.53 Rp 693.6K

$43.82 $43.82

-12.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 Rp 1.9M

$84.8 $84.8

27.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 Rp 2.0M

$103 $103

7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 Rp 4.2M

$1,907 $1,907

-87.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.8 Rp 1.6M

$1,274 $1,274

-92.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 Rp 8.9M

$3,664 $3,664

-86.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 Rp 3.8M

$2,538 $2,538

-91.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,158 Rp 20.8M

$7,614 $7,614

-84.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$560 Rp 10.1M

$3,157 $3,157

-82.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.9M

$5,121 $5,121

-95.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

6.79

36.23%

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

Last update for Medan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Medan

$181 29.5%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 124% $224

Clothing & Footwear

Medan

$140 22.9%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 8.8% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medan

$112 18.2%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 221% $247

Accommodation & Living

Medan

$90 14.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 1320% $1.2K

Eating Out

Medan

$59 9.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 503% $295

Sport & Entertainment

Medan

$24 3.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 265% $62

Getting Around

Medan

$8.5 1.4%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 593% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $233 in Medan and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2280% 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: $8.00 in Medan vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $405 per month, with Medan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Medan

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:49 3:49 AM

15:49 3:49 PM

12 h behind Medan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,097,610

974,447

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medan Austin, TX 15,870 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Medan
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

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

Medan wins on cost – living expenses run 334% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2280% 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: $233 in Medan 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 $613 per month in Medan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 334% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 604% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $613 in Medan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Medan 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 Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 334% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.