Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Cartago

For one person, living is cheaper in Cartago: $1,713 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 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
80

Cost of Living Index in Cartago
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Cartago Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Cartago

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,713

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,713 in Cartago.

Austin, TX $2,663
Cartago $1,713

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,362 in Cartago.

Austin, TX $4,133
Cartago $2,362

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,011 in Cartago.

Austin, TX $5,603
Cartago $3,011

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 55% more expensive than in Cartago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Cartago 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$8.64 ₡3,880

140.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$34.53 ₡15.5K

144.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.92 ₡4,455

24.19%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.54 ₡2,039

24.01%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.13 ₡956

74.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.36 ₡611

83.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.15 ₡966

274.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.06 ₡1,822

121.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.39 ₡1,074

-53.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.37 ₡1,066

58.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.47 ₡1,111

31.98%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.57 ₡1,603

16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$8.61 ₡3,866

49.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$10.38 ₡4,661

36.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.94 ₡6,261

16.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.24 ₡2,355

-17.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.29 ₡580

13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.49 ₡2,017

0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.91 ₡1,308

49.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.24 ₡1,005

15.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.17 ₡973

8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.09 ₡488

63.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.18 ₡979

1.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$6.07 ₡2,726

62.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.16 ₡6,807

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.89 ₡1,297

1.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.03 ₡913

70.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.37 ₡613

8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$73.2 ₡32.9K

-43.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.33 ₡599

105.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.56 ₡703

6.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$8.95 ₡4,021

294.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.51 ₡678

-37.09%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$21.7K ₡9.7M

66.18%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.1K ₡15.8M

-22.91%

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

$229 $229

$52.4 ₡23.5K

336.75%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$35.12 ₡15.8K

69.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$59.9 ₡26.9K

16.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-22.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$77.8 ₡34.9K

-79.00%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$7.27 ₡3,267

96.42%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$549 ₡246.5K

174.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$7,878 ₡3.5M

172.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$70.1 ₡31.5K

-24.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$56.5 ₡25.4K

-22.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$121 ₡54.5K

-30.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$87.7 ₡39.4K

17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$923 ₡414.7K

106.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$704 ₡316.3K

80.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,869 ₡839.2K

96.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$724 ₡325.2K

250.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,344 ₡603.7K

280.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

8.62

-21.23%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cartago: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Cartago

$704 41.1% 44.7% $570

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Cartago

$348 20.3% 13.9% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Cartago

$147 8.6% 58.9% $211

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Cartago

$186 10.9% 47.4% $168

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Cartago

$151 8.8% 18% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Cartago

$88 5.2% 2.9% $2.5

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Cartago

$88 5.1% 49.6% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $923 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 281% 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 $35.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $348 per month, with Cartago cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇷 Cartago

🕒 Local time

00:02 12:02 AM

23:02 11:02 PM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

110,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Cartago 2,680 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Cartago

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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cartago the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 281% 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 $923 in Cartago. 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 $1,713 in Cartago – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 75% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,713 in Cartago versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Cartago 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 Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.