Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alcala de Henares and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Alcala de Henares: $1,932 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Alcala de Henares
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,932
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,932 in Alcala de Henares versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Alcala de Henares $1,932
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,723 in Alcala de Henares versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Alcala de Henares $2,723
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,515 in Alcala de Henares versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Alcala de Henares $3,515
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Alcala de Henares costs roughly 27% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alcala de Henares 43% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.00 €15.12
$20.77 $20.77
-18.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 €58.5
$84.6 $84.6
-22.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.08 €9.86
$12.32 $12.32
-10.06%
Cappuccino
$2.72 €2.42
$5.63 $5.63
-51.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 €2.97
$3.72 $3.72
-10.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 €1.67
$2.50 $2.50
-25.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.96 €3.52
$8.05 $8.05
-50.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.64 €4.13
$9.01 $9.01
-48.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.05
$1.12 $1.12
6.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 €1.38
$3.75 $3.75
-58.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 €1.53
$3.26 $3.26
-47.24%
Eggs
$2.96 €2.64
$4.17 $4.17
-29.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.99 €19.56
$12.90 $12.90
70.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.20 €8.18
$14.16 $14.16
-35.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.25 €15.35
$16.22 $16.22
6.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.68 €2.39
$4.33 $4.33
-38.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 €2.05
$1.46 $1.46
58.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$4.51 $4.51
-51.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.58 €2.29
$4.34 $4.34
-40.55%
Potato (1kg)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.58 $2.58
-17.44%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.35 $2.35
-9.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.78 $1.78
-11.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 €0.63
$2.22 $2.22
-68.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.12 €5.44
$9.88 $9.88
-38.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.84 €6.98
$15.08 $15.08
-48.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 €1.08
$2.92 $2.92
-58.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.46 $3.46
-38.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.49 $1.49
-2.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.53 €41.39
$41.72 $41.72
11.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.80 €3.38
$2.73 $2.73
39.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.66 $1.66
16.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.26 €20.69
$35.30 $35.30
-34.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.60
$0.95 $0.95
89.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K €31.8K
$36.0K $36.0K
-0.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K €26.9K
$27.1K $27.1K
11.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 €168
$229 $229
-17.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.65 €17.48
$59.4 $59.4
-66.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.18 €26.85
$69.9 $69.9
-56.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.29 €35.84
$57.2 $57.2
-29.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.12 €7.22
$16.33 $16.33
-50.28%
Cinema Ticket
$9.43 €8.39
$14.28 $14.28
-33.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$178 €159
$1,506 $1,506
-88.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,820 €5,177
$21.5K $21.5K
-72.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.7 €65.6
$52.8 $52.8
39.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.52 €32.48
$43.82 $43.82
-16.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.2 €69.6
$84.8 $84.8
-7.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.3 €83.9
$103 $103
-8.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$966 €859
$1,907 $1,907
-49.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$879 €782
$1,274 $1,274
-31.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,858 €1,653
$3,664 $3,664
-49.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 €1,016
$2,538 $2,538
-55.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,260 €3,789
$7,614 $7,614
-44.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,507 €3,119
$3,157 $3,157
11.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alcala de Henares
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,735 €1,544
$5,121 $5,121
-66.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
6.79
-53.76%

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

Last update for Alcala de Henares: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Alcala de Henares
$879
Austin, TX
$1.3K 45% $395
Groceries & Markets
Alcala de Henares
$310
Austin, TX
$405 30.5% $95
Eating Out
Alcala de Henares
$252
Austin, TX
$354 40.5% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcala de Henares
$239
Austin, TX
$358 50.1% $120
Clothing & Footwear
Alcala de Henares
$127
Austin, TX
$128 0.6% $0.7
Getting Around
Alcala de Henares
$66
Austin, TX
$59 10.8% $7.1
Sport & Entertainment
Alcala de Henares
$59
Austin, TX
$86 45% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $966 in Alcala de Henares and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 195% 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: $66.0 in Alcala de Henares vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $405 per month, with Alcala de Henares cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Alcala de Henares
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
10:05 10:05 AM
03:05 3:05 AM
7 h behind Alcala de Henares
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
199,184
974,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Alcala de Henares Austin, TX 8,220 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Alcala de Henares
  • 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
Alcala de Henares vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Alcala de Henares and in Austin, TX?
Alcala de Henares and Austin, TX differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,932 vs $2,663 including rent). Alcala de Henares is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 195% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Alcala de Henares and in Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $966 in Alcala de Henares versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Alcala de Henares and Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $178 in Alcala de Henares versus $1,506 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,932 in Alcala de Henares versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Alcala de Henares but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Alcala de Henares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Alcala de Henares and Austin, TX?
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.
Is Alcala de Henares or Austin, TX safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Alcala de Henares 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.
Where should expats move: Alcala de Henares or Austin, TX?
Expats usually find Alcala de Henares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Alcala de Henares vs other spots: cost of living compared

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