Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Palm Springs, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Palm Springs, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,646 in Austin, TX versus $2,943 in Palm Springs, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,220 in Austin, TX versus $4,726 in Palm Springs, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,794 in Austin, TX versus $6,509 in Palm Springs, CA.

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 10% less than in Palm Springs, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Palm Springs, CA 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$30.01 $30.01

-33.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$74.4 $74.4

12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.27 $12.27

$9.81 $9.81

25.08%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.40 $5.40

4.26%

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

$3.59 $3.59

$2.81 $2.81

27.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.56 $1.56

52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.10 $5.10

53.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.10 $9.10

$5.59 $5.59

62.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.28 $1.28

-10.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$4.01 $4.01

-9.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.92 $2.92

13.36%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$5.77 $5.77

-23.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$13.82 $13.82

-5.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$13.83 $13.83

6.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 $17.42

$12.50 $12.50

39.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.99 $4.99

-7.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.26 $2.26

-35.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.37 $4.37

8.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.87 $4.87

1.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$4.52 $4.52

-33.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$4.32 $4.32

-36.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.16 $2.16

-9.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.22 $2.22

-0.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 $9.26

$11.74 $11.74

-21.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$13.27 $13.27

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.67 $1.67

71.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.63 $2.63

36.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.77 $1.77

-6.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 $41.90

$34.57 $34.57

21.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.48 $3.48

-18.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.81 $1.81

-12.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.68 $34.68

$23.75 $23.75

46.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.27 $1.27

-25.20%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$32.9K $32.9K

8.59%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.69%

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

$229 $229

$245 $245

-6.59%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$79.9 $79.9

-26.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 $69.3

$66.9 $66.9

3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 $65.8

$32.27 $32.27

103.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 $14.75

$51.0 $51.0

-71.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.86 $13.86

$12.14 $12.14

14.17%

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

$1,501 $1,501

$547 $547

174.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$8,361 $8,361

150.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$31.21 $31.21

71.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 $44.41

$34.87 $34.87

27.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 $90.8

$72.6 $72.6

25.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$138 $138

-21.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,833 $1,833

5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 $1,265

$1,529 $1,529

-17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,776 $3,776

$3,612 $3,612

4.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$3,222 $3,222

-19.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,340 $7,340

$5,114 $5,114

43.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,231 $3,231

$3,253 $3,253

-0.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,039 $5,039

$4,521 $4,521

11.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.12

5.23%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: September 5, 2026

Last update for Palm Springs, CA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,931 in Austin, TX and $1,833 in Palm Springs, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $74.0 in Palm Springs, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $419 vs $414 per month, with Palm Springs, CA 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 Palm Springs, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Palm Springs, 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 11% 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: $1,931 in Austin, TX versus $1,833 in Palm Springs, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,646 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,943 in Palm Springs, CA – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 21% less than in Palm Springs, 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 $2,646 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 11% less than in Palm Springs, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.