Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Eureka, CA: $2,476 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Austin, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Austin, TX, United States
Eureka, CA, United States
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Eureka, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,476
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,476 in Eureka, CA.

  • Austin, TX $2,607
  • Eureka, CA $2,476

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,740 in Eureka, CA.

  • Austin, TX $4,031
  • Eureka, CA $2,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,005 in Eureka, CA.

  • Austin, TX $5,454
  • Eureka, CA $3,005

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 5% more expensive than in Eureka, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Eureka, CA 82% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.35 $20.35
$18.24 $18.24
11.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.7 $84.7
$70.4 $70.4
20.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.12 $12.12
$11.96 $11.96
1.34%
Cappuccino
$5.65 $5.65
$5.40 $5.40
4.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 $3.68
$3.15 $3.15
16.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.32 $2.32
1.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.87 $7.87
$6.45 $6.45
22.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.82 $8.82
$8.22 $8.22
7.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.37 $1.37
-16.79%
White Bread (500g)
$3.69 $3.69
$3.39 $3.39
8.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$4.54 $4.54
-27.09%
Eggs
$4.15 $4.15
$5.29 $5.29
-21.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.98 $12.98
$22.37 $22.37
-41.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.86 $13.86
$14.75 $14.75
-6.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.34 $16.34
$21.45 $21.45
-23.82%
Apples (1kg)
$4.69 $4.69
$6.29 $6.29
-25.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$2.51 $2.51
-42.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.11 $5.11
$6.97 $6.97
-26.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$6.93 $6.93
-34.78%
Potato (1kg)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.94 $3.94
-21.83%
Onion (1kg)
$2.38 $2.38
$3.62 $3.62
-34.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.80 $1.80
$3.05 $3.05
-40.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.07 $2.07
7.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.97 $9.97
$11.76 $11.76
-15.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.05 $15.05
$12.23 $12.23
23.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.91 $2.91
$2.11 $2.11
37.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 $3.33
$2.14 $2.14
55.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 $1.22
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.53 $40.53
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.78 $2.78
$3.99 $3.99
-30.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.95 $1.95
-15.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.39 $35.39
$29.44 $29.44
20.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.35 $1.35
-29.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K $34.2K
$27.3K $27.3K
25.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$26.8K $26.8K
-0.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$190 $190
17.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.5 $58.5
$48.11 $48.11
21.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.2 $71.2
$71.3 $71.3
-0.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.0 $53.0
$46.67 $46.67
13.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.75 $16.75
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.06 $14.06
$14.44 $14.44
-2.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,459 $1,459
$1,297 $1,297
12.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.3K $21.3K
$39.4K $39.4K
-45.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.5 $52.5
$50.5 $50.5
4.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.75 $42.75
$36.27 $36.27
17.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.4 $86.4
$108 $108
-19.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$125 $125
-17.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,112 $2,112
$1,385 $1,385
52.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 $1,230
$1,120 $1,120
9.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,863 $3,863
$2,368 $2,368
63.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,407 $2,407
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,426 $7,426
$3,309 $3,309
124.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,060 $3,060
$3,282 $3,282
-6.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Eureka, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,179 $5,179
$3,804 $3,804
36.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.35
7.40%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Eureka, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.2K
Eureka, CA
$1.1K 9% $111
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$410
Eureka, CA
$497 21.2% $87
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$353
Eureka, CA
$310 12.2% $43
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Eureka, CA
$317 8.9% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Eureka, CA
$144 11.9% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$81
Eureka, CA
$76 6.9% $5.6
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$56
Eureka, CA
$14 * 75.7% $43

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 $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,385 in Eureka, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 36% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $70 in Eureka, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $497, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Eureka, CA
🕒 Local time
13:39 1:39 PM
11:39 11:39 AM
2 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
27,191
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Eureka, CA 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Eureka, 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 Eureka, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Eureka, CA?
Eureka, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Eureka, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Eureka, CA?
Average pay runs 36% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Eureka, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,385 in Eureka, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Eureka, CA?
Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,297 in Eureka, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Eureka, CA?
Dining out is cheaper in Eureka, CA – a meal for two runs $70 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Eureka, CA?
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.
Should I move to Austin, TX or to Eureka, CA?
It comes down to priorities – Eureka, CA wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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