Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alamosa, CO and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Alamosa, CO: $2,380 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Alamosa, CO
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Alamosa, CO Living Index
129

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

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Alamosa, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,380

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,380 in Alamosa, CO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Alamosa, CO $2,380
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,444 in Alamosa, CO versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Alamosa, CO $3,444
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,509 in Alamosa, CO versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Alamosa, CO $4,509
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Alamosa, CO costs roughly 12% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alamosa, CO 76% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 $12.91

$20.63 $20.63

-37.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 $48.99

$84.6 $84.6

-42.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 $8.61

$12.07 $12.07

-28.67%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$5.48 $5.48

-10.95%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$3.80 $3.80

-41.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.47 $2.47

-40.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.05 $8.05

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.88 $8.88

-10.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.11 $1.11

-9.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.72 $3.72

-11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.37 $3.37

34.42%

Eggs

$2.53 $2.53

$4.32 $4.32

-41.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.71 $6.71

$13.13 $13.13

-48.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 $9.73

$14.15 $14.15

-31.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.46 $20.46

$16.33 $16.33

25.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$4.55 $4.55

3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.46 $1.46

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$4.71 $4.71

-31.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$4.15 $4.15

-60.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$2.58 $2.58

-79.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.35 $2.35

-52.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.77 $1.77

-15.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.14 $2.14

28.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.84 $10.84

$10.10 $10.10

7.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 $13.88

$15.19 $15.19

-8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.82 $2.82

-10.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.44 $3.44

2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.54 $1.54

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.80 $2.80

26.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.60 $1.60

25.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.46 $31.46

$34.34 $34.34

-8.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.94 $0.94

6.38%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$34.0K $34.0K

-13.73%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

-7.37%

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

$143 $143

$223 $223

-35.96%

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

$64.4 $64.4

$58.9 $58.9

9.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$70.6 $70.6

0.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.24 $42.24

$57.7 $57.7

-26.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 $12.81

$14.26 $14.26

-10.17%

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

$1,490 $1,490

$1,511 $1,511

-1.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$20.9K $20.9K

20.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 $53.4

$51.3 $51.3

4.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.08 $44.08

$44.17 $44.17

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$87.0 $87.0

20.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$104 $104

14.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 $1,566

$1,940 $1,940

-19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,316 $1,316

-3.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 $2,474

$3,664 $3,664

-32.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,145 $2,145

$2,565 $2,565

-16.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,845 $2,845

$7,354 $7,354

-61.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,271 $2,271

$3,129 $3,129

-27.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,716 $7,716

$5,286 $5,286

45.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.79

-3.24%

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

Last update for Alamosa, CO: October 20, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Alamosa, CO

$1.3K 53.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 3.3% $42

Groceries & Markets

Alamosa, CO

$345 14.5%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 17.7% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alamosa, CO

$278 11.7%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 26.6% $74

Eating Out

Alamosa, CO

$249 10.5%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 40.6% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Alamosa, CO

$145 6.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 10.9% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Alamosa, CO

$68 2.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 27.1% $18

Getting Around

Alamosa, CO

$21 * 0.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 174% $37

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,566 in Alamosa, CO and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alamosa, CO pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Alamosa, CO vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $406 per month, with Alamosa, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Alamosa, CO

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

19:24 7:24 PM

20:24 8:24 PM

1 h ahead of Alamosa, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,000

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Alamosa, CO Austin, TX 1,100 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Alamosa, CO
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

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

Alamosa, CO and Austin, TX differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,380 vs $2,698 including rent). Alamosa, CO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Alamosa, CO, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,566 in Alamosa, CO versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,380 per month in Alamosa, CO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Alamosa, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Alamosa, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.