Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,689 a month against $3,312 in Cupertino, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cupertino, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Cupertino, CA
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Cupertino, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,312

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $3,312 in Cupertino, CA.

Austin, TX $2,689
Cupertino, CA $3,312

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $5,276 in Cupertino, CA.

Austin, TX $4,112
Cupertino, CA $5,276

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $7,240 in Cupertino, CA.

Austin, TX $5,534
Cupertino, CA $7,240

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 19% less than in Cupertino, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Cupertino, CA 145% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$24.53 $24.53

-13.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$50.6 $50.6

73.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$9.83 $9.83

26.55%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.36 $4.36

28.44%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$2.45 $2.45

48.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.22 $2.22

7.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$6.91 $6.91

13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$7.89 $7.89

10.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.35 $1.35

-17.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.29 $3.29

10.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.39 $4.39

-20.27%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$5.10 $5.10

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$6.48 $6.48

103.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$13.01 $13.01

7.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$13.09 $13.09

25.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.88 $3.88

21.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$2.15 $2.15

-30.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.23 $2.23

108.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.81 $2.81

60.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.48 $2.48

2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.07 $3.07

-22.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.05 $3.05

-39.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.97 $0.97

119.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$11.64 $11.64

-13.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.96 $10.96

35.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.88 $1.88

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.91 $1.91

72.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.98 $2.98

-58.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$138 $138

-69.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.60 $2.60

3.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.07 $2.07

-21.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$30.19 $30.19

16.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.53 $1.53

-35.95%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$28.5K $28.5K

20.71%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.0K $27.0K

-0.61%

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

$252 $252

$255 $255

-1.21%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$61.0 $61.0

-1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$66.7 $66.7

4.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$35.70 $35.70

69.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$15.59 $15.59

-11.80%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$2,160 $2,160

-32.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$32.1K $32.1K

-17.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$56.9 $56.9

-7.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$34.98 $34.98

30.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$90.3 $90.3

-5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$58.6 $58.6

80.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$2,550 $2,550

-13.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,908 $1,908

-33.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$5,080 $5,080

-21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$4,349 $4,349

-44.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$7,565 $7,565

-33.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.52

4.60%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cupertino, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Cupertino, CA

$1.9K 57.6% 50.4% $640

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Cupertino, CA

$336 10.1% 17.5% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Cupertino, CA

$383 11.6% 0.3% $1.3

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Cupertino, CA

$347 10.5% 2.5% $9.1

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Cupertino, CA

$108 3.3% 16.9% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Cupertino, CA

$67 2% 23.9% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Cupertino, CA

$163 4.9% 185% $106

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $2,550 in Cupertino, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cupertino, CA pays 50% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $51 in Cupertino, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $336 per month, with Cupertino, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Cupertino, CA

🕒 Local time

12:42 12:42 PM

10:42 10:42 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

58,302

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Cupertino, CA 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Cupertino, 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 33% 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: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $2,550 in Cupertino, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,312 in Cupertino, CA – Austin, TX is about 19% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 70% less than in Cupertino, CA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch 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, Cupertino, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.