Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Long Beach, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,185 in Long Beach, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 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
155

Cost of Living Index in Long Beach, CA
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Long Beach, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Long Beach, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,185 in Long Beach, CA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Long Beach, CA $3,185

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $4,857 in Long Beach, CA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Long Beach, CA $4,857

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $6,529 in Long Beach, CA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Long Beach, CA $6,529

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 15% less than in Long Beach, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Long Beach, CA 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$19.67 $19.67

4.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$78.7 $78.7

7.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$14.48 $14.48

-16.64%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.17 $6.17

-11.18%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$3.27 $3.27

16.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.48 $2.48

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.46 $7.46

7.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.70 $9.70

-8.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.05 $1.05

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.13 $4.13

-9.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.65 $4.65

-27.53%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.63 $4.63

-6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$13.11 $13.11

0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$14.28 $14.28

-0.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$15.21 $15.21

7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.74 $4.74

-4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.67 $1.67

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.80 $4.80

-1.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.84 $4.84

-14.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.46 $3.46

-25.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.24 $2.24

4.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.04 $2.04

-13.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.83 $1.83

16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.56 $11.56

-12.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.06 $15.06

0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.93 $1.93

46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.29 $3.29

4.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.76 $1.76

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$68.9 $68.9

-40.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.92 $2.92

-4.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.08 $2.08

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$28.25 $28.25

21.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.54 $1.54

-38.96%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$28.5K $28.5K

19.15%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

3.07%

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

$223 $223

$169 $169

31.99%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$66.3 $66.3

-11.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$60.3 $60.3

17.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$39.49 $39.49

46.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$14.84 $14.84

-3.91%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,912 $1,912

-20.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$36.2K $36.2K

-42.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$58.5 $58.5

-12.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$40.11 $40.11

10.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$93.9 $93.9

-7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$142 $142

-26.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,057 $2,057

-5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,813 $1,813

-27.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$3,672 $3,672

-0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$3,462 $3,462

-25.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$7,440 $7,440

-1.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$6,677 $6,677

-53.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,419 $4,419

19.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.39

6.26%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Long Beach, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Long Beach, CA

$1.8K 56.9% 37.7% $496

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Long Beach, CA

$414 13% 1.9% $7.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Long Beach, CA

$295 9.3% 16.1% $57

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Long Beach, CA

$355 11.1% 1.3% $4.5

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Long Beach, CA

$151 4.7% 16.7% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Long Beach, CA

$69 2.2% 19.8% $17

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Long Beach, CA

$89 2.8% 54.1% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $2,057 in Long Beach, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $79.0 in Long Beach, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $414, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Long Beach, CA

🕒 Local time

15:26 3:26 PM

13:26 1:26 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

469,450

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Long Beach, CA 1,960 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Long Beach, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 20% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $2,057 in Long Beach, 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 $3,185 in Long Beach, CA – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 68% less than in Long Beach, 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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.