Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Tehran: $625 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
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Tehran Living Index
129

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

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Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$625

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $625 in Tehran versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Tehran $625
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,071 in Tehran versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Tehran $1,071
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,516 in Tehran versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Tehran $1,516
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Tehran 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: Tehran is 53% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 $3.66

$20.22 $20.22

-81.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.96 $17.96

$85.0 $85.0

-78.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 $3.96

$12.35 $12.35

-67.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 $0.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

Cappuccino

$1.39 $1.39

$5.47 $5.47

-74.59%

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

$0.49 $0.49

$3.82 $3.82

-87.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.50 $2.50

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.13 $1.13

-38.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 $0.62

$3.78 $3.78

-83.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.25 $3.25

7.08%

Eggs

$1.23 $1.23

$4.14 $4.14

-70.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$13.08 $13.08

-67.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$14.31 $14.31

-75.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 $10.40

$15.96 $15.96

-34.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$4.38 $4.38

-68.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.45 $1.45

28.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$4.54 $4.54

-73.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 $0.67

$4.19 $4.19

-84.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 $0.54

$2.63 $2.63

-79.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$2.36 $2.36

-80.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 $0.58

$1.76 $1.76

-67.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 $0.28

$2.16 $2.16

-87.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 $2.56

$9.81 $9.81

-73.90%

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)

$0.11 $0.11

$1.49 $1.49

-92.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.46 $5.46

$40.51 $40.51

-86.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$2.67 $2.67

-80.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$1.58 $1.58

-81.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$35.29 $35.29

-91.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

$0.99 $0.99

-89.90%

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

$50.0K $50.0K

$35.8K $35.8K

39.75%

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

$44.5K $44.5K

$27.2K $27.2K

63.84%

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

$12.91 $12.91

$219 $219

-94.11%

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

$1.64 $1.64

$58.0 $58.0

-97.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.79 $3.79

$68.4 $68.4

-94.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.40 $24.40

$57.9 $57.9

-57.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 $13.24

$14.82 $14.82

-10.66%

Cinema Ticket

$1.96 $1.96

$14.13 $14.13

-86.13%

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

$106 $106

$1,509 $1,509

-92.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,548 $2,548

$21.5K $21.5K

-88.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.42 $26.42

$51.7 $51.7

-48.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.23 $37.23

$44.05 $44.05

-15.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$85.1 $85.1

37.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 $75.0

$105 $105

-28.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 $420

$1,932 $1,932

-78.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 $267

$1,272 $1,272

-78.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 $941

$3,670 $3,670

-74.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 $637

$2,525 $2,525

-74.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,238 $1,238

$7,617 $7,617

-83.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$708 $708

$3,199 $3,199

-77.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 $211

$5,105 $5,105

-95.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.79

6.79

265.10%

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

Last update for Tehran: October 4, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tehran

$267 42.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 376% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Tehran

$128 20.3%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 215% $275

Clothing & Footwear

Tehran

$115 18.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 12% $14

Eating Out

Tehran

$66 10.5%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 424% $282

Sport & Entertainment

Tehran

$28 4.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 204% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tehran

$18 2.9%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 1785% $327

Getting Around

Tehran

$7.9 1.3%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 624% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $420 in Tehran and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2320% 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: $18.00 in Tehran vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $403 per month, with Tehran cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Tehran

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:36 8:36 AM

00:06 12:06 AM

8 h 30 min behind Tehran

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000,000 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

USD USD

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tehran Austin, TX 12,000 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Tehran
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

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

Tehran wins on cost – living expenses run 332% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tehran the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2320% 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: $420 in Tehran versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $625 per month in Tehran versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 332% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tehran runs roughly 642% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $625 in Tehran versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tehran but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Tehran 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 Tehran gentler on the wallet – expenses run 332% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.