Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,813 in Dublin, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 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
186

Cost of Living Index in Dublin, CA
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Dublin, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Dublin, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,813

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,813 in Dublin, CA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Dublin, CA $3,813

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $5,432 in Dublin, CA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Dublin, CA $5,432

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $7,050 in Dublin, CA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Dublin, CA $7,050

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 29% less than in Dublin, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Dublin, CA 181% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$20.80 $20.80

-0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$65.0 $65.0

30.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.14 $11.14

8.35%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.28 $5.28

3.79%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.67 $2.67

42.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.39 $2.39

3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.09 $7.09

13.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.90 $6.90

28.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.65 $1.65

-32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.43 $4.43

-16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.07 $4.07

-17.20%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$5.86 $5.86

-26.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$6.65 $6.65

97.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$14.16 $14.16

-0.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$22.22 $22.22

-26.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.25 $5.25

-13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.02 $2.02

-27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.52 $5.52

-14.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.48 $4.48

-7.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.60 $3.60

-28.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.15 $2.15

9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.04 $2.04

-13.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.55 $2.55

-16.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.57 $11.57

-12.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.73 $15.73

-3.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.46 $2.46

14.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.31 $3.31

3.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.09 $3.09

-50.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$89.7 $89.7

-54.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.56 $3.56

-21.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.03 $3.03

-47.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$30.19 $30.19

13.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.41 $1.41

-33.33%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$36.6K $36.6K

-7.11%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.36%

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

$223 $223

$124 $124

79.74%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$48.57 $48.57

21.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$81.6 $81.6

-13.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$34.51 $34.51

67.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$34.94 $34.94

-52.69%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$15.11 $15.11

-5.63%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,797 $1,797

-15.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$39.0K $39.0K

-46.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$59.1 $59.1

-13.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$52.0 $52.0

-15.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$79.2 $79.2

9.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$119 $119

-12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,822 $2,822

-31.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,457 $2,457

-46.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,530 $4,530

-19.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$4,002 $4,002

-35.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$12.9K $12.9K

-42.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$10.8K $10.8K

-70.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$6,418 $6,418

-17.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.67

1.80%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dublin, 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%

Dublin, CA

$2.5K 64.4% 86.7% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Dublin, CA

$445 11.7% 9.6% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Dublin, CA

$254 6.7% 27.9% $98

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Dublin, CA

$333 8.7% 5% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Dublin, CA

$139 3.7% 8% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Dublin, CA

$65 1.7% 24.9% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Dublin, CA

$121 3.2% 109% $63

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $2,822 in Dublin, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin, CA pays 21% 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 $65.0 in Dublin, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $445, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Dublin, CA

🕒 Local time

05:17 5:17 AM

03:17 3:17 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

49,328

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Dublin, 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 21% lower in Dublin, 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 $2,822 in Dublin, 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 $3,813 in Dublin, CA – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 119% less than in Dublin, 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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Dublin, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.