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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,423 in Los Banos, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $3,504 in Los Banos, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $4,584 in Los Banos, CA.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 12% more expensive than Los Banos, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Los Banos, CA 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$15.14 $15.14

32.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$80.9 $80.9

-5.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$10.03 $10.03

1.00%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.85 $4.85

13.20%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.44 $2.44

11.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.02 $2.02

5.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$7.05 $7.05

-13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.33 $7.33

9.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.96 $0.96

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.25 $3.25

2.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.04 $3.04

12.50%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$1.60 $1.60

170.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$8.45 $8.45

39.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$7.63 $7.63

39.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$12.42 $12.42

16.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$3.33 $3.33

43.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.35 $1.35

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.68 $2.68

68.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.77 $2.77

45.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.83 $2.83

-2.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.37 $2.37

17.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.28 $2.28

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.50 $2.50

-14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$10.81 $10.81

-14.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$11.85 $11.85

24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.94 $1.94

18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.35 $1.35

161.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.03 $2.03

-25.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.59 $2.59

65.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.57 $1.57

15.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$29.57 $29.57

20.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.10 $1.10

-30.00%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$36.2K $36.2K

-29.11%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$31.5K $31.5K

-16.53%

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

$172 $172

$222 $222

-22.33%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$45.77 $45.77

31.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$66.2 $66.2

1.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$42.52 $42.52

47.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$14.71 $14.71

0.14%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$1,288 $1,288

8.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$23.7K $23.7K

-8.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$24.29 $24.29

126.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$22.08 $22.08

106.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$52.0 $52.0

66.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$61.0 $61.0

89.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,602 $1,602

40.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$1,378 $1,378

1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,596 $2,596

45.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,236 $2,236

21.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$2,742 $2,742

166.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,400 $2,400

38.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

$6,614 $6,614

-25.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.63

-2.71%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for Los Banos, CA: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,602 in Los Banos, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Banos, CA pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $81 in Los Banos, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $299, with Los Banos, CA 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 Los Banos, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Banos, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Los Banos, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Los Banos, CA earns 35% less. 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: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,602 in Los Banos, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $1,288 in Los Banos, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Los Banos, CA – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,423 in Los Banos, CA versus $2,719 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Los Banos, CA but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Los Banos, CA 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 Banos, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.