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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,659 in Austin, TX versus $3,162 in Davis, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,101 in Austin, TX versus $4,620 in Davis, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,542 in Austin, TX versus $6,078 in Davis, CA.

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 16% less than in Davis, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 98% above, Davis, CA 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$14.77 $14.77

32.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$63.9 $63.9

17.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$11.83 $11.83

-16.15%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$4.75 $4.75

19.37%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$3.30 $3.30

-16.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.30 $2.30

-5.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$7.86 $7.86

-25.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$7.83 $7.83

-0.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.22 $1.22

-10.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$4.06 $4.06

-16.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.35 $3.35

2.39%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$5.38 $5.38

-18.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$12.39 $12.39

-3.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$11.72 $11.72

-8.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 $14.29

$24.86 $24.86

-42.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$4.55 $4.55

6.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.89 $2.89

-46.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$6.16 $6.16

-27.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.73 $4.73

-17.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.85 $3.85

-28.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.47 $3.47

-21.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.44 $2.44

-16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.45 $3.45

-34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 $8.93

$10.17 $10.17

-12.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$13.80 $13.80

7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.78 $1.78

32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$7.98 $7.98

-55.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.23 $1.23

19.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.44 $3.44

24.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.61 $1.61

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.54 $35.54

$28.77 $28.77

23.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.23 $1.23

-41.46%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$28.3K $28.3K

-9.05%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.9K $23.9K

9.67%

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

$174 $174

$230 $230

-24.47%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$52.6 $52.6

14.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 $66.3

$68.8 $68.8

-3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$42.96 $42.96

46.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$11.97 $11.97

27.32%

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

$1,387 $1,387

$1,474 $1,474

-5.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$23.3K $23.3K

-4.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$48.78 $48.78

16.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 $45.34

$38.62 $38.62

17.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$97.5 $97.5

-11.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$136 $136

-12.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,247 $2,247

$2,172 $2,172

3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$1,879 $1,879

-23.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,778 $3,778

$3,385 $3,385

11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,641 $2,641

$3,227 $3,227

-18.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

$2,719 $2,719

159.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,162 $3,162

$2,392 $2,392

32.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,108 $5,108

$4,981 $4,981

2.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.36

1.42%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Last update for Davis, CA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,247 in Austin, TX and $2,172 in Davis, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Austin, TX vs $64.0 in Davis, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $469, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

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 Davis, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Davis, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Austin, TX pays 3% more on average, 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: $2,247 in Austin, TX versus $2,172 in Davis, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,387 in Austin, TX versus $1,474 in Davis, 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 $75.0 versus $64.0 in Davis, 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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,659 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Davis, 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 19% less than in Davis, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.