Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Mountain View, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $4,650 in Mountain View, CA, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
227

Cost of Living Index in Mountain View, CA
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Mountain View, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Mountain View, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,650

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $4,650 in Mountain View, CA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Mountain View, CA $4,650

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $6,615 in Mountain View, CA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Mountain View, CA $6,615

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $8,580 in Mountain View, CA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Mountain View, CA $8,580

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 44% less than in Mountain View, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Mountain View, CA 242% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.34 $20.34

0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$101 $101

-15.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.96 $11.96

1.34%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.21 $5.21

8.45%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.73 $2.73

34.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.72 $2.72

-13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.15 $7.15

10.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$9.99 $9.99

-11.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.27 $1.27

-10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.18 $4.18

-11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.68 $4.68

-29.27%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.52 $5.52

-24.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$16.21 $16.21

-19.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$11.71 $11.71

18.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$12.96 $12.96

26.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.39 $5.39

-12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.88 $1.88

-22.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.43 $4.43

15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.69 $5.69

-20.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.94 $3.94

-21.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$5.65 $5.65

-57.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.43 $2.43

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.62 $2.62

-15.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.63 $11.63

-14.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.92 $12.92

16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.15 $2.15

35.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.45 $2.45

35.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.47 $2.47

-50.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$88.6 $88.6

-54.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.91 $3.91

-28.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$4.87 $4.87

-66.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.57 $1.57

-39.49%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.2K $27.2K

25.55%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.79%

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

$223 $223

$288 $288

-22.68%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$44.81 $44.81

30.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$63.9 $63.9

11.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$78.6 $78.6

-32.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$11.81 $11.81

41.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$17.10 $17.10

-17.78%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$2,141 $2,141

-31.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$23.6K $23.6K

-9.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$52.7 $52.7

-0.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$99.5 $99.5

-57.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$151 $151

-42.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$149 $149

-30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$3,529 $3,529

-40.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$3,039 $3,039

-59.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$4,702 $4,702

-17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$5,009 $5,009

-51.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$11.9K $11.9K

-37.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$10.1K $10.1K

-69.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$9,788 $9,788

-47.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.14

11.07%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mountain View, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Mountain View, CA

$3K 65.4% 147% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Mountain View, CA

$432 9.3% 5.3% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Mountain View, CA

$397 8.5% 12.6% $44

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Mountain View, CA

$339 7.3% 2.7% $9.5

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Mountain View, CA

$203 4.4% 58.3% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Mountain View, CA

$113 2.4% 39% $32

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Mountain View, CA

$127 2.7% 124% $70

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $3,529 in Mountain View, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mountain View, CA pays 89% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $101 in Mountain View, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $432 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Mountain View, CA

🕒 Local time

18:54 6:54 PM

16:54 4:54 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

82,739

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Mountain View, CA 2,380 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Mountain View, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,529 in Mountain View, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $4,650 in Mountain View, CA – Austin, TX is about 44% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 54% less than in Mountain View, CA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch 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 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Mountain View, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.