Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Los Alamos, NM Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Los Alamos, NM

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,706 in Austin, TX versus $2,429 in Los Alamos, NM.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,169 in Austin, TX versus $3,562 in Los Alamos, NM.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,633 in Austin, TX versus $4,695 in Los Alamos, NM.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 11% more expensive than in Los Alamos, NM, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Los Alamos, NM 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$17.45 $17.45

12.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$59.8 $59.8

27.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$10.03 $10.03

-1.69%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.32 $5.32

3.01%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.29 $2.29

15.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.53 $1.53

36.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$6.05 $6.05

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 $8.15

$6.06 $6.06

34.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.94 $0.94

17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.15 $2.15

57.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.27 $3.27

3.36%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$4.11 $4.11

6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 $12.10

$12.67 $12.67

-4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$10.32 $10.32

5.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 $14.68

$17.68 $17.68

-16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.98 $4.98

-0.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.45 $1.45

4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.88 $2.88

52.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.43 $4.43

-7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.08 $1.08

160.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.48 $2.48

15.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.04 $2.04

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.49 $0.49

344.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 $8.99

$9.81 $9.81

-8.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$13.95 $13.95

8.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.81 $1.81

28.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.73 $2.73

25.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.05 $2.05

-24.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.15 $44.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.46 $3.46

27.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.80 $1.80

1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.65 $34.65

$29.38 $29.38

17.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.85 $0.85

-8.24%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$31.3K $31.3K

-17.09%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.07%

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

$175 $175

$169 $169

3.23%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$40.04 $40.04

49.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 $65.5

$68.7 $68.7

-4.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 $61.3

$43.63 $43.63

40.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.89 $9.89

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$13.50 $13.50

9.33%

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

$1,372 $1,372

$1,250 $1,250

9.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$6,116 $6,116

262.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$20.34 $20.34

177.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 $45.29

$50.3 $50.3

-10.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 $85.0

$98.1 $98.1

-13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$114 $114

4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 $2,201

$1,082 $1,082

103.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 $1,403

$1,378 $1,378

1.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,815 $3,815

$1,864 $1,864

104.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 $2,680

$2,209 $2,209

21.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,133 $7,133

$3,306 $3,306

115.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,078 $3,078

$3,294 $3,294

-6.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,110 $5,110

$8,257 $8,257

-38.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.49

-0.62%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: July 12, 2026

Last update for Los Alamos, NM: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,201 in Austin, TX and $1,082 in Los Alamos, NM. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Alamos, NM pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Austin, TX vs $60.0 in Los Alamos, NM for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $335 per month, with Los Alamos, NM cheaper across the board.

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 Los Alamos, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Alamos, NM wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Los Alamos, NM the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in Los Alamos, NM. 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: $2,201 in Austin, TX versus $1,082 in Los Alamos, NM. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,372 in Austin, TX versus $1,250 in Los Alamos, NM. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Los Alamos, NM – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,429 in Los Alamos, NM versus $2,706 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Los Alamos, NM but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Los Alamos, NM the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Los Alamos, NM gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.