Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $4,197 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
204

Cost of Living Index in Los Angeles, CA
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Los Angeles, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,197

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $4,197 in Los Angeles, CA.

Austin, TX $2,663
Los Angeles, CA $4,197

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $6,205 in Los Angeles, CA.

Austin, TX $4,133
Los Angeles, CA $6,205

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $8,214 in Los Angeles, CA.

Austin, TX $5,603
Los Angeles, CA $8,214

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 37% less than in Los Angeles, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Los Angeles, CA 211% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$26.28 $26.28

-20.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$118 $118

-28.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$15.19 $15.19

-18.89%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$6.04 $6.04

-6.79%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$3.76 $3.76

-1.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.75 $2.75

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.84 $7.84

2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$10.15 $10.15

-11.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.34 $1.34

-16.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.84 $4.84

-22.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.65 $4.65

-29.89%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$5.54 $5.54

-24.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$11.32 $11.32

13.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$15.73 $15.73

-9.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$19.68 $19.68

-17.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.18 $5.18

-16.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.32 $2.32

-37.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.64 $4.64

-2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.50 $5.50

-21.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.42 $3.42

-24.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.89 $2.89

-18.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.95 $1.95

-8.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.45 $2.45

-9.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$13.20 $13.20

-25.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.09 $15.09

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.98 $2.98

-2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.70 $2.70

28.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.74 $1.74

-14.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$106 $106

-60.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.08 $3.08

-11.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.82 $1.82

-8.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$32.69 $32.69

7.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.56 $1.56

-39.10%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$37.7K $37.7K

-4.28%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.5K $26.5K

2.20%

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

$229 $229

$278 $278

-17.55%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$77.7 $77.7

-23.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$79.0 $79.0

-11.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$76.0 $76.0

-24.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$12.18 $12.18

34.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$19.72 $19.72

-27.59%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,706 $1,706

-11.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$31.8K $31.8K

-32.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$90.3 $90.3

-41.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$65.3 $65.3

-32.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$118 $118

-28.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$212 $212

-51.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,502 $2,502

-23.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$2,426 $2,426

-47.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$5,595 $5,595

-34.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$4,226 $4,226

-39.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$7,335 $7,335

3.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$7,136 $7,136

-55.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,972 $3,972

28.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.86

-1.02%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Los Angeles, CA

$2.4K 57.8% 90.4% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Los Angeles, CA

$464 11.1% 14.7% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Los Angeles, CA

$434 10.4% 21.2% $76

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Los Angeles, CA

$414 9.9% 16.9% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Los Angeles, CA

$219 5.2% 70.8% $91

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Los Angeles, CA

$115 2.8% 34.5% $30

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Los Angeles, CA

$125 3% 113% $66

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $2,502 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 29% 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 $118 in Los Angeles, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $464 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🕒 Local time

23:18 11:18 PM

21:18 9:18 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

4,030,904

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Los Angeles, CA 1,970 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Los Angeles, 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 29% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $2,502 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $4,197 in Los Angeles, CA – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 154% less than in Los Angeles, 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 $2,663 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 58% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.