Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Murmansk and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Murmansk: $1,033 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

52

Cost of Living Index in Murmansk
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Murmansk Living Index
130

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

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Murmansk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,033

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,033 in Murmansk versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Murmansk $1,033
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,618 in Murmansk versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Murmansk $1,618
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,204 in Murmansk versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Murmansk $2,204
Austin, TX $5,603

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Murmansk is 23% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 ₽976

$20.77 $20.77

-43.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.34 ₽3,033

$84.6 $84.6

-57.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 ₽515

$12.32 $12.32

-49.92%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ₽232

$5.63 $5.63

-50.80%

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

$1.10 ₽92.0

$3.72 $3.72

-70.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₽48.30

$2.50 $2.50

-76.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ₽130

$8.05 $8.05

-80.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₽224

$9.01 $9.01

-70.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₽92.9

$1.12 $1.12

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₽62.9

$3.75 $3.75

-80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ₽113

$3.26 $3.26

-58.59%

Eggs

$1.55 ₽129

$4.17 $4.17

-62.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 ₽926

$12.90 $12.90

-13.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 ₽434

$14.16 $14.16

-63.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 ₽962

$16.22 $16.22

-28.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 ₽139

$4.33 $4.33

-61.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₽133

$1.46 $1.46

9.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ₽170

$4.51 $4.51

-54.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 ₽234

$4.34 $4.34

-35.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽72.9

$2.58 $2.58

-66.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ₽51.4

$2.35 $2.35

-73.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₽93.2

$1.78 $1.78

-37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₽63.6

$2.22 $2.22

-65.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ₽270

$9.88 $9.88

-67.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 ₽581

$15.08 $15.08

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₽92.0

$2.92 $2.92

-62.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₽176

$3.46 $3.46

-39.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₽47.24

$1.49 $1.49

-61.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.22 ₽2,522

$41.72 $41.72

-27.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₽176

$2.73 $2.73

-22.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽29.55

$1.66 $1.66

-78.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 ₽479

$35.30 $35.30

-83.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽68.2

$0.95 $0.95

-13.68%

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

$35.2K ₽2.9M

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.25%

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

$32.8K ₽2.7M

$27.1K $27.1K

21.22%

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

$123 ₽10.3K

$229 $229

-46.19%

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

$5.90 ₽493

$59.4 $59.4

-90.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.23 ₽687

$69.9 $69.9

-88.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.55 ₽2,884

$57.2 $57.2

-39.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.90 ₽2,245

$16.33 $16.33

64.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 ₽525

$14.28 $14.28

-55.95%

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

$385 ₽32.1K

$1,506 $1,506

-74.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,488 ₽458.0K

$21.5K $21.5K

-74.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.0 ₽6,593

$52.8 $52.8

49.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 ₽4,379

$43.82 $43.82

19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ₽10.1K

$84.8 $84.8

43.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₽8,704

$103 $103

1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₽40.7K

$1,907 $1,907

-74.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₽23.5K

$1,274 $1,274

-77.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ₽75.7K

$3,664 $3,664

-75.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ₽42.5K

$2,538 $2,538

-79.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 ₽171.6K

$7,614 $7,614

-73.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 ₽109.6K

$3,157 $3,157

-58.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.45

6.79

215.91%

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

Last update for Murmansk: 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

Murmansk

$281 27.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 353% $993

Groceries & Markets

Murmansk

$205 19.9%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 97.1% $199

Eating Out

Murmansk

$165 16%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 114% $189

Clothing & Footwear

Murmansk

$161 15.6%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 20.4% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Murmansk

$137 13.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 161% $221

Sport & Entertainment

Murmansk

$47 4.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 82.1% $39

Getting Around

Murmansk

$36 3.5%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 61.4% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $488 in Murmansk and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Murmansk vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $405 per month, with Murmansk cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Murmansk

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:18 11:18 AM

03:18 3:18 AM

8 h behind Murmansk

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

282,851

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 →

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Between locations

Murmansk Austin, TX 8,280 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Murmansk
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

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

Murmansk wins on cost – living expenses run 158% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Murmansk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Murmansk and $3,995 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $488 in Murmansk 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 $1,033 per month in Murmansk versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Murmansk runs roughly 38% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,033 in Murmansk versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Murmansk but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Murmansk 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, Murmansk 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 Murmansk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.