Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,976 in Colton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
191

Cost of Living Index in Colton, CA
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Colton, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Colton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,976

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,976 in Colton, CA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Colton, CA $3,976

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $5,426 in Colton, CA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Colton, CA $5,426

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $6,875 in Colton, CA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Colton, CA $6,875

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 32% less than in Colton, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Colton, CA 193% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$25.14 $25.14

-17.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$80.5 $80.5

5.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$15.04 $15.04

-19.75%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.02 $6.02

-8.97%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$3.04 $3.04

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.42 $2.42

2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.88 $7.88

2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.81 $9.81

-9.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.27 $1.27

-12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.95 $4.95

-24.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.50 $4.50

-25.11%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$5.51 $5.51

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.40 $11.40

15.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$16.16 $16.16

-12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$19.97 $19.97

-18.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.22 $5.22

-12.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.29 $2.29

-36.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.90 $4.90

-3.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.51 $5.51

-24.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.37 $3.37

-23.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.79 $2.79

-15.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.03 $2.03

-12.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.44 $2.44

-12.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.91 $11.91

-15.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.03 $15.03

1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.80 $2.80

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.64 $3.64

-5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$7.16 $7.16

-78.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$80.5 $80.5

-49.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.16 $3.16

-11.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.80 $1.80

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$32.60 $32.60

5.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.46 $1.46

-35.62%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$30.4K $30.4K

11.72%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.27%

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

$223 $223

$266 $266

-16.25%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$76.7 $76.7

-23.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$79.9 $79.9

-11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$35.47 $35.47

62.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$18.09 $18.09

-21.17%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,203 $1,203

25.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$32.4K $32.4K

-35.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$63.1 $63.1

-18.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$48.16 $48.16

-8.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$116 $116

-24.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$121 $121

-13.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,896 $1,896

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,336 $2,336

-43.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$3,074 $3,074

19.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$3,339 $3,339

-23.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$9,778 $9,778

-24.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$8,283 $8,283

-36.17%

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 Colton, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Colton, CA

$2.3K 58.8% 77.5% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Colton, CA

$469 11.8% 15.4% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Colton, CA

$422 10.6% 20% $70

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Colton, CA

$399 10% 14.1% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Colton, CA

$157 3.9% 21.3% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Colton, CA

$72 1.8% 16.9% $15

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Colton, CA

$121 3.1% 109% $63

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,896 in Colton, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colton, CA pays 57% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $81 in Colton, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $469, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Colton, CA

🕒 Local time

17:48 5:48 PM

15:48 3:48 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

51,427

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Colton, CA 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Colton, 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 36% lower in Austin, TX. 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 $1,896 in Colton, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,976 in Colton, CA – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 49% less than in Colton, 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 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.

It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, Colton, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.