Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,878 in Berkeley, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
188

Cost of Living Index in Berkeley, CA
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Berkeley, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Berkeley, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,878

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $3,878 in Berkeley, CA.

Austin, TX $2,663
Berkeley, CA $3,878

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $5,546 in Berkeley, CA.

Austin, TX $4,133
Berkeley, CA $5,546

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $7,215 in Berkeley, CA.

Austin, TX $5,603
Berkeley, CA $7,215

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 31% less than in Berkeley, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Berkeley, CA 187% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$22.39 $22.39

-7.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$80.3 $80.3

5.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.52 $10.52

17.11%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$6.07 $6.07

-7.25%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$3.25 $3.25

14.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$3.08 $3.08

-18.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.90 $5.90

36.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$7.65 $7.65

17.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.00 $2.00

-44.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.54 $4.54

-17.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.74 $5.74

-43.21%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$6.07 $6.07

-31.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$26.78 $26.78

-51.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$16.58 $16.58

-14.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$21.69 $21.69

-25.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$7.14 $7.14

-39.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.57 $2.57

-43.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.21 $6.21

-27.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$10.45 $10.45

-58.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.58 $3.58

-27.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.84 $4.84

-51.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.53 $2.53

-29.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.08 $3.08

-27.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$11.57 $11.57

-14.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.82 $12.82

17.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.06 $2.06

41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.78 $2.78

24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.47 $2.47

-39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$93.1 $93.1

-55.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.41 $3.41

-19.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.89 $1.89

-12.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$39.52 $39.52

-10.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.47 $1.47

-35.37%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$37.7K $37.7K

-4.26%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.88%

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

$229 $229

$180 $180

27.05%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$61.7 $61.7

-3.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$76.7 $76.7

-8.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$49.54 $49.54

15.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$7.94 $7.94

105.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$15.27 $15.27

-6.48%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$2,565 $2,565

-41.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$35.2K $35.2K

-39.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$71.2 $71.2

-25.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$70.5 $70.5

-37.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$96.2 $96.2

-11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$235 $235

-56.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,594 $2,594

-26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$2,219 $2,219

-42.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,778 $4,778

-23.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$3,487 $3,487

-27.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$8,047 $8,047

-5.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$7,245 $7,245

-56.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$6,775 $6,775

-24.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.62

2.57%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Berkeley, CA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Berkeley, CA

$2.2K 57.2% 74.1% $945

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Berkeley, CA

$578 14.9% 42.9% $174

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Berkeley, CA

$319 8.2% 11.1% $40

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Berkeley, CA

$354 9.1% 0% $0.2

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Berkeley, CA

$213 5.5% 66.2% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Berkeley, CA

$80 2.1% 6.7% $5.7

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Berkeley, CA

$116 3% 97.4% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $2,594 in Berkeley, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Berkeley, CA pays 32% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $80.0 in Berkeley, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $578, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Berkeley, CA

🕒 Local time

21:03 9:03 PM

19:03 7:03 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

121,363

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Berkeley, CA 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Berkeley, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Berkeley, CA. 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $2,594 in Berkeley, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,878 in Berkeley, CA – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 123% less than in Berkeley, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,663 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Berkeley, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Berkeley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.