Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,001 in Lompoc, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
145

Cost of Living Index in Lompoc, CA
Learn more

Lompoc, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Lompoc, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,001

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $3,001 in Lompoc, CA.

Austin, TX $2,663
Lompoc, CA $3,001

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $4,213 in Lompoc, CA.

Austin, TX $4,133
Lompoc, CA $4,213

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $5,425 in Lompoc, CA.

Austin, TX $5,603
Lompoc, CA $5,425

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 11% less than in Lompoc, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Lompoc, CA 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$25.45 $25.45

-18.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$101 $101

-16.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$11.59 $11.59

6.30%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.50 $5.50

2.36%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.68 $2.68

38.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.03 $2.03

23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.95 $7.95

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$9.80 $9.80

-8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.93 $0.93

20.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.83 $2.83

32.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.43 $4.43

-26.41%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.09 $4.09

1.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$12.65 $12.65

1.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$20.40 $20.40

-30.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$14.09 $14.09

15.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.46 $5.46

-20.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.78 $1.78

-17.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.27 $4.27

5.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.34 $6.34

-31.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.64 $3.64

-29.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.49 $3.49

-32.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.98 $0.98

81.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.20 $2.20

0.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$11.56 $11.56

-14.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.72 $14.72

2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.69 $1.69

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.18 $3.18

8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.52 $4.52

-39.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.88 $1.88

-11.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$35.86 $35.86

-1.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.30 $1.30

-26.92%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.5K $36.5K

-1.12%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

7.43%

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

$229 $229

$214 $214

7.01%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$70.0 $70.0

-15.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$24.57 $24.57

132.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$11.89 $11.89

20.10%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,963 $1,963

-23.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$42.6K $42.6K

-49.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$73.8 $73.8

-28.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$40.96 $40.96

6.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$81.3 $81.3

4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$173 $173

-40.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,820 $1,820

4.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,603 $1,603

-20.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,995 $2,995

22.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$2,220 $2,220

14.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$7,981 $7,981

-35.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.2

9.52%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lompoc, CA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Lompoc, CA

$1.6K 53.4% 25.8% $329

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Lompoc, CA

$433 14.4% 7.1% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Lompoc, CA

$354 11.8% 1.2% $4.4

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Lompoc, CA

$383 12.8% 8.1% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Lompoc, CA

$166 5.5% 29.8% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Lompoc, CA

$48 1.6% 43.7% $37

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Lompoc, CA

$14 * 0.5% 76.3% $45

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 $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,820 in Lompoc, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lompoc, CA pays 56% 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 Lompoc, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $433 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Lompoc, CA

🕒 Local time

23:18 11:18 PM

21:18 9:18 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

43,509

💱 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 Lompoc, CA 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Lompoc, 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 56% lower in Lompoc, 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,820 in Lompoc, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $1,963 in Lompoc, 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 Lompoc, 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 Lompoc, 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 13% less than in Lompoc, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.