Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shkoder and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Shkoder: $961 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Shkoder
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Shkoder Living Index
130

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

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Shkoder

🇦🇱 Albania

$961

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $961 in Shkoder versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Shkoder $961
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,451 in Shkoder versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Shkoder $1,451
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,941 in Shkoder versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Shkoder $1,941
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Shkoder costs roughly 64% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shkoder is 29% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 ALL 720

$20.77 $20.77

-56.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.60 ALL 3,028

$84.6 $84.6

-55.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 ALL 487

$12.32 $12.32

-50.97%

Cappuccino

$1.88 ALL 152

$5.63 $5.63

-66.61%

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

$1.85 ALL 149

$3.72 $3.72

-50.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ALL 51.1

$2.50 $2.50

-74.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 ALL 147

$8.05 $8.05

-77.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ALL 247

$9.01 $9.01

-66.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ALL 152

$1.12 $1.12

68.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ALL 80.3

$3.75 $3.75

-73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 163

$3.26 $3.26

-37.73%

Eggs

$2.58 ALL 208

$4.17 $4.17

-38.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 ALL 585

$12.90 $12.90

-43.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 ALL 405

$14.16 $14.16

-64.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ALL 869

$16.22 $16.22

-33.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ALL 131

$4.33 $4.33

-62.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 ALL 178

$1.46 $1.46

52.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ALL 134

$4.51 $4.51

-63.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ALL 121

$4.34 $4.34

-65.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ALL 81.9

$2.58 $2.58

-60.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ALL 100

$2.35 $2.35

-47.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ALL 95.2

$1.78 $1.78

-33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 57.6

$2.22 $2.22

-67.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ALL 336

$9.88 $9.88

-57.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.26 ALL 504

$15.08 $15.08

-58.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ALL 127

$2.92 $2.92

-45.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ALL 141

$3.46 $3.46

-49.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.24

$1.49 $1.49

-67.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.09 ALL 893

$41.72 $41.72

-73.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 290

$2.73 $2.73

31.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.87 ALL 311

$1.66 $1.66

133.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.31 ALL 1,474

$35.30 $35.30

-48.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 ALL 180

$0.95 $0.95

135.79%

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

$34.1K ALL 2.7M

$36.0K $36.0K

-5.29%

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

$24.5K ALL 2.0M

$27.1K $27.1K

-9.66%

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

$61.2 ALL 4,926

$229 $229

-73.29%

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

$16.81 ALL 1,354

$59.4 $59.4

-71.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.27 ALL 1,391

$69.9 $69.9

-75.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.56 ALL 3,427

$57.2 $57.2

-25.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.07 ALL 972

$16.33 $16.33

-26.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ALL 595

$14.28 $14.28

-48.25%

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

$93.2 ALL 7,509

$1,506 $1,506

-93.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,846 ALL 148.7K

$21.5K $21.5K

-91.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.08 ALL 3,952

$52.8 $52.8

-7.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.44 ALL 1,002

$43.82 $43.82

-71.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ALL 5,818

$84.8 $84.8

-14.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 ALL 11.6K

$103 $103

40.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ALL 38.3K

$1,907 $1,907

-75.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ALL 24.6K

$1,274 $1,274

-76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 ALL 39.0K

$3,664 $3,664

-86.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 ALL 32.7K

$2,538 $2,538

-83.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,855 ALL 149.4K

$7,614 $7,614

-75.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,213 ALL 97.7K

$3,157 $3,157

-61.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 ALL 46.1K

$5,121 $5,121

-88.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

-26.36%

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

Last update for Shkoder: 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

Shkoder

$305 31.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 317% $969

Groceries & Markets

Shkoder

$205 21.3%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 97.4% $200

Eating Out

Shkoder

$137 14.3%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 158% $216

Clothing & Footwear

Shkoder

$125 13%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 2.2% $2.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shkoder

$95 9.9%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 276% $263

Sport & Entertainment

Shkoder

$57 6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 49.6% $28

Getting Around

Shkoder

$36 3.7%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 63.2% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Shkoder and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 795% 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: $38.00 in Shkoder vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $405 per month, with Shkoder cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇱 Shkoder

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

09:34 9:34 AM

02:34 2:34 AM

7 h behind Shkoder

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

77,075

974,447

💱 Currency

Albanian Lek ALL L

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 ALL = 1.24 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ALL – Albanian Lek Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇱 Albanian Lek (L)

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to ALL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Shkoder Austin, TX 9,730 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Shkoder
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

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

Shkoder wins on cost – living expenses run 177% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shkoder the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 795% 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: $476 in Shkoder 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 $961 per month in Shkoder versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 177% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Shkoder runs roughly 276% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $961 in Shkoder versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shkoder but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Shkoder 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 Shkoder gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.