Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Auburn, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
156

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, CA
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Auburn, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Auburn, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Auburn, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,663 per month in Austin, TX vs $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,663
Auburn, CA $3,212

A couple spends around $4,133 per month in Austin, TX vs $4,620 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,133
Auburn, CA $4,620

A family of three spends $5,603 per month in Austin, TX vs $6,027 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,603
Auburn, CA $6,027

Austin, TX is about 17% cheaper than Auburn, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Austin, TX and Auburn, CA sit above the global median – Austin, TX by 97%, Auburn, CA by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$25.25 $25.25

-17.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$90.7 $90.7

-6.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$11.92 $11.92

3.36%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.91 $4.91

14.66%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.54 $2.54

46.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.37 $2.37

5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.86 $4.86

65.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$7.11 $7.11

26.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.23 $1.23

-8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.52 $4.52

-17.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$8.21 $8.21

-60.29%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.17 $3.17

31.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$25.79 $25.79

-49.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$18.58 $18.58

-23.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$23.00 $23.00

-29.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$7.72 $7.72

-43.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.70 $1.70

-14.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$8.51 $8.51

-47.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.78 $6.78

-35.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.10 $5.10

-49.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.06 $3.06

-23.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.02 $2.02

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.27 $2.27

-2.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$11.66 $11.66

-15.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.24 $15.24

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.46 $1.46

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.02 $2.02

71.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.40 $3.40

-56.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$88.2 $88.2

-52.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.26 $3.26

-16.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.43 $2.43

-31.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$40.49 $40.49

-12.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.22 $1.22

-22.13%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$32.8K $32.8K

9.80%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

10.52%

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

$229 $229

$189 $189

21.20%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$49.79 $49.79

19.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$66.7 $66.7

4.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$64.4 $64.4

-11.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$15.10 $15.10

-5.43%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$2,686 $2,686

-43.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$5,939 $5,939

261.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$68.7 $68.7

-23.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$46.74 $46.74

-6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$110 $110

-23.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$199 $199

-48.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,823 $1,823

4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,591 $1,591

-19.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,784 $2,784

31.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$2,344 $2,344

8.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$3,277 $3,277

132.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,675 $2,675

18.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,926 $3,926

30.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.77

0.30%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Auburn, CA

$1.6K 49.5% 24.9% $317

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Auburn, CA

$558 17.4% 37.8% $153

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Auburn, CA

$305 9.5% 14.7% $53

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Auburn, CA

$355 11% 0.2% $0.9

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Auburn, CA

$191 6% 49.3% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Auburn, CA

$95 3% 10.3% $8.8

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Auburn, CA

$117 3.7% 99.7% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,823 in Auburn, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Austin, TX, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Austin, TX versus $91.0 in Auburn, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $405 vs $558 – making Austin, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Auburn, CA

🕒 Local time

16:59 4:59 PM

14:59 2:59 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

76,143

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Auburn, CA 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Auburn, CA

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX, $3,212 in Auburn, CA – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,995 per month in Austin, TX and $4,818 in Auburn, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,506 per month in Austin, TX and $2,686 in Auburn, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Auburn, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,663 in Austin, TX and $3,212 in Auburn, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Austin, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Austin, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.