Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Dana Point, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $4,372 in Dana Point, CA, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 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
211

Cost of Living Index in Dana Point, CA
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Dana Point, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Dana Point, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $4,372 in Dana Point, CA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Dana Point, CA $4,372

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $5,964 in Dana Point, CA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Dana Point, CA $5,964

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $7,557 in Dana Point, CA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Dana Point, CA $7,557

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 38% less than in Dana Point, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Dana Point, CA 223% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$25.21 $25.21

-18.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$101 $101

-16.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$14.52 $14.52

-16.87%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.04 $6.04

-9.27%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$3.68 $3.68

3.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.65 $2.65

-6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.90 $7.90

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.97 $9.97

-10.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.28 $1.28

-13.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.83 $4.83

-22.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.71 $4.71

-28.45%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.97 $3.97

8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.26 $11.26

16.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$13.49 $13.49

4.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$15.71 $15.71

3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.02 $5.02

-9.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.21 $2.21

-33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.51 $3.51

34.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.34 $5.34

-22.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.91 $2.91

-11.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.78 $2.78

-15.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.99 $1.99

-11.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.44 $2.44

-12.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.99 $11.99

-15.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.27 $15.27

-0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.02 $3.02

-6.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.78 $2.78

23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.02 $2.02

-23.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.16 $3.16

-11.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.90 $1.90

-15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$32.63 $32.63

5.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.28 $1.28

-26.56%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$32.8K $32.8K

3.55%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.61%

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

$223 $223

$255 $255

-12.65%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$77.4 $77.4

-23.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$78.5 $78.5

-10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$41.94 $41.94

37.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$20.15 $20.15

-17.97%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$19.64 $19.64

-27.39%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,690 $1,690

-10.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$32.3K $32.3K

-35.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$65.4 $65.4

-21.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$52.2 $52.2

-15.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$113 $113

-23.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$177 $177

-41.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,986 $2,986

-35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,847 $2,847

-53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$5,264 $5,264

-30.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$4,148 $4,148

-38.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,686 $2,686

173.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,351 $2,351

33.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$7,504 $7,504

-29.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.56

3.51%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dana Point, CA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Dana Point, CA

$2.8K 65.1% 116% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Dana Point, CA

$426 9.8% 5% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Dana Point, CA

$411 9.4% 16.6% $59

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Dana Point, CA

$402 9.2% 14.9% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Dana Point, CA

$184 4.2% 42.4% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Dana Point, CA

$81 1.9% 5.8% $5

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Dana Point, CA

$21 * 0.5% 64.2% $37

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 $2,986 in Dana Point, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dana Point, CA pays 42% 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 $101 in Dana Point, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $426 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Dana Point, CA

🕒 Local time

03:09 3:09 AM

01:09 1:09 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

33,351

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Dana Point, CA 1,910 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Dana Point, 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 42% lower in Dana Point, 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 $2,986 in Dana Point, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,690 in Dana Point, 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 $101 in Dana Point, 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 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 Dana Point, 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 62% less than in Dana Point, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.