Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Modesto, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $2,708 in Modesto, CA, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Modesto, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Modesto, CA
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Modesto, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Modesto, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,708

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,708 in Modesto, CA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Modesto, CA $2,708

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,910 in Modesto, CA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Modesto, CA $3,910

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,112 in Modesto, CA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Modesto, CA $5,112

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 4% less than in Modesto, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Modesto, CA 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$15.19 $15.19

33.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$79.2 $79.2

6.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$8.88 $8.88

36.49%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.39 $5.39

4.82%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.61 $2.61

41.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.58 $1.58

49.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.07 $5.07

55.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.12 $7.12

23.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.05 $1.05

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.65 $3.65

1.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.09 $4.09

-19.07%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.54 $5.54

-25.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$12.89 $12.89

0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$13.35 $13.35

3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$19.65 $19.65

-16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.38 $5.38

-12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.01 $2.01

-27.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.54 $5.54

-7.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.46 $5.46

-17.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.53 $3.53

-12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.93 $2.93

-18.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.43 $2.43

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.55 $2.55

-12.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.56 $11.56

-13.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.25 $15.25

-1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.88 $1.88

54.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.96 $1.96

-37.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$40.49 $40.49

0.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.43 $3.43

-18.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.05 $3.05

-45.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$30.56 $30.56

15.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.43 $1.43

-33.57%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$36.9K $36.9K

-7.37%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.38%

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

$223 $223

$257 $257

-13.23%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$48.45 $48.45

20.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$68.6 $68.6

3.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$37.85 $37.85

40.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$14.77 $14.77

13.41%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$11.21 $11.21

25.42%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,836 $1,836

-20.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$40.6K $40.6K

-47.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$47.86 $47.86

9.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$39.21 $39.21

9.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$95.1 $95.1

-9.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$121 $121

-14.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,302 $1,302

62.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,359 $1,359

-9.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,824 $1,824

111.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,155 $2,155

11.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$3,619 $3,619

105.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,962 $2,962

3.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,071 $4,071

27.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.1

11.80%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Modesto, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Modesto, CA

$1.4K 50.2% 10.5% $129

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Modesto, CA

$442 16.3% 7.8% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Modesto, CA

$374 13.8% 6.1% $21

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Modesto, CA

$269 9.9% 22.7% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Modesto, CA

$136 5% 6.2% $8

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Modesto, CA

$60 2.2% 25.7% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Modesto, CA

$67 2.5% 18.7% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,302 in Modesto, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $79 in Modesto, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $442, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Modesto, CA

🕒 Local time

04:43 4:43 AM

02:43 2:43 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

211,266

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Modesto, CA 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Modesto, 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 27% 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,302 in Modesto, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,836 in Modesto, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Modesto, CA – a meal for two runs $79 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 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.