Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Caguas

For one person, living is cheaper in Caguas: $1,621 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Caguas
Learn more

Caguas Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Caguas

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Caguas

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 Caguas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,621 in Caguas.

Austin, TX $2,663
Caguas $1,621

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,580 in Caguas.

Austin, TX $4,133
Caguas $2,580

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,539 in Caguas.

Austin, TX $5,603
Caguas $3,539

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 64% more expensive than in Caguas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Caguas 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$14.74 $14.74

40.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$82.9 $82.9

2.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$8.99 $8.99

37.04%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.28 $2.28

146.93%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.12 $1.12

232.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.24 $1.24

101.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.52 $1.52

429.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.12 $4.12

118.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.16 $2.16

-48.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.80 $2.80

33.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.31 $2.31

41.13%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.97 $4.97

-16.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$6.90 $6.90

86.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.13 $9.13

55.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$11.99 $11.99

35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.15 $5.15

-15.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.61 $2.61

-44.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.39 $2.39

88.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.53 $4.53

-4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.57 $2.57

0.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.71 $2.71

-13.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.26 $2.26

-21.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.60 $1.60

38.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$10.64 $10.64

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.03 $14.03

7.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.45 $1.45

101.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.18 $2.18

58.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$70.3 $70.3

-40.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.44 $2.44

11.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.54 $1.54

7.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$42.73 $42.73

-17.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.89 $0.89

6.74%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$30.5K $30.5K

18.01%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

5.00%

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

$229 $229

$185 $185

23.65%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$59.9 $59.9

-0.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$56.2 $56.2

24.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$35.28 $35.28

62.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$50.9 $50.9

-67.92%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$9.83 $9.83

45.27%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$300 $300

401.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$12.3K $12.3K

74.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$26.14 $26.14

102.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$35.43 $35.43

23.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$81.1 $81.1

4.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$115 $115

-10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$752 $752

153.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$528 $528

141.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,080 $1,080

239.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$977 $977

159.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,422 $2,422

214.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$849 $849

271.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,041 $3,041

68.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.85

40.00%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Caguas: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Caguas

$528 32.6% 58.6% $746

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Caguas

$336 20.7% 17% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Caguas

$301 18.6% 15.9% $57

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Caguas

$198 12.2% 44.2% $156

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Caguas

$116 7.2% 9.4% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Caguas

$55 3.4% 36% $31

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Caguas

$88 5.5% 50.5% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $752 in Caguas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 68% 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 $83.0 in Caguas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $336 per month, with Caguas cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇷 Caguas

🕒 Local time

15:50 3:50 PM

16:50 4:50 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

70,318

💱 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 Caguas 3,470 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Caguas

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 Caguas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caguas wins on cost – living expenses run 64% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Caguas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 68% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $752 in Caguas. 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 $1,621 in Caguas – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Caguas runs roughly 68% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,621 in Caguas versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Caguas but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Caguas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Caguas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.