Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,716 in Brea, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Brea, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
180

Cost of Living Index in Brea, CA
Learn more

Brea, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Brea, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,716

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,716 in Brea, CA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Brea, CA $3,716

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $5,124 in Brea, CA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Brea, CA $5,124

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $6,532 in Brea, CA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Brea, CA $6,532

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 27% less than in Brea, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Brea, CA 174% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$25.18 $25.18

-18.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$78.5 $78.5

7.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.18 $12.18

-0.90%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.59 $5.59

-1.97%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.69 $2.69

41.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.98 $1.98

24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.34 $7.34

9.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.46 $9.46

-6.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.18 $1.18

-5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.29 $5.29

-29.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.41 $4.41

-23.58%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.86 $4.86

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$15.38 $15.38

-14.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.87 $8.87

59.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$13.91 $13.91

17.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.66 $4.66

-2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.80 $1.80

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.30 $4.30

9.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.77 $5.77

-28.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.61 $3.61

-28.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.07 $3.07

-23.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.14 $2.14

-17.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.18 $2.18

-1.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.95 $11.95

-15.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.14 $15.14

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.77 $1.77

59.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.21 $3.21

7.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.58 $4.58

-38.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.81 $1.81

-11.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$36.28 $36.28

-5.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.57 $1.57

-40.13%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

22.30%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.86%

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

$223 $223

$218 $218

2.22%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$70.8 $70.8

-16.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$69.1 $69.1

2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$30.08 $30.08

91.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$20.02 $20.02

-17.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$19.98 $19.98

-28.63%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,162 $1,162

29.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$42.8K $42.8K

-51.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$62.2 $62.2

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$41.12 $41.12

7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$80.9 $80.9

7.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,241 $2,241

-13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,354 $2,354

-44.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$3,133 $3,133

16.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$3,521 $3,521

-27.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$5,884 $5,884

24.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$6,172 $6,172

-49.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$9,939 $9,939

-46.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.31

7.61%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Brea, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Brea, CA

$2.4K 63.4% 78.8% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Brea, CA

$411 11.1% 1.4% $5.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Brea, CA

$358 9.6% 1.6% $5.6

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Brea, CA

$379 10.2% 8.4% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Brea, CA

$130 3.5% 0.6% $0.8

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Brea, CA

$70 1.9% 18.8% $16

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Brea, CA

$14 * 0.4% 76.5% $44

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 $1,940 in Austin, TX and $2,241 in Brea, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 88% 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 $79.0 in Brea, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $411, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Brea, CA

🕒 Local time

14:45 2:45 PM

12:45 12:45 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

38,585

💱 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 Brea, CA 1,940 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Brea, 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 88% lower in Brea, 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $2,241 in Brea, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,162 in Brea, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $79.0 in Brea, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 $2,698 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 Brea, 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 38% less than in Brea, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.