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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,695 in Austin, TX versus $3,175 in Long Beach, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,184 in Austin, TX versus $4,908 in Long Beach, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,674 in Austin, TX versus $6,641 in Long Beach, CA.

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 15% less than in Long Beach, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 96% above, Long Beach, CA 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.82 $19.82

$20.13 $20.13

-1.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$81.3 $81.3

3.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 $12.30

$14.76 $14.76

-16.67%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.30 $6.30

-13.02%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$3.43 $3.43

8.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.49 $2.49

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$7.41 $7.41

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.14 $9.14

$9.67 $9.67

-5.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.04 $1.04

8.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.04 $4.04

-7.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.70 $4.70

-27.02%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$4.72 $4.72

-7.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$13.00 $13.00

1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$14.74 $14.74

-2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 $17.20

$15.23 $15.23

12.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.88 $4.88

-7.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.67 $1.67

-13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$5.41 $5.41

-13.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.70 $5.70

-12.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$3.66 $3.66

-18.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.32 $2.32

15.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.05 $2.05

-9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.93 $1.93

12.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$11.61 $11.61

-18.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$14.78 $14.78

2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.91 $1.91

51.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.23 $4.23

-17.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.71 $1.71

-4.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 $40.44

$68.1 $68.1

-40.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.85 $2.85

-1.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.47 $2.47

-36.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.18 $35.18

$60.3 $60.3

-41.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.41 $1.41

-36.17%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$37.1K $37.1K

-3.35%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

8.04%

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

$222 $222

$167 $167

33.14%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$68.7 $68.7

-15.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$60.3 $60.3

14.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 $66.2

$40.47 $40.47

63.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 $14.76

Cinema Ticket

$13.78 $13.78

$14.87 $14.87

-7.33%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$1,640 $1,640

-6.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$37.4K $37.4K

-43.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$57.2 $57.2

-4.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.01 $44.01

$39.58 $39.58

11.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$93.2 $93.2

-3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$143 $143

-23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 $1,942

$2,085 $2,085

-6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 $1,258

$1,798 $1,798

-30.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,762 $3,762

$3,619 $3,619

3.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,592 $2,592

$3,481 $3,481

-25.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$7,117 $7,117

4.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,203 $3,203

$6,810 $6,810

-52.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,085 $5,085

$4,374 $4,374

16.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.13

5.06%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: August 31, 2026

Last update for Long Beach, CA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,942 in Austin, TX and $2,085 in Long Beach, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $81.0 in Long Beach, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $417 vs $426, 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 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 16% 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: $1,942 in Austin, TX versus $2,085 in Long Beach, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,695 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,175 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 $2,695 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.