Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $2,729 in Pomona, CA, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pomona, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Pomona, CA
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Pomona, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Pomona, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,729

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,729 in Pomona, CA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Pomona, CA $2,729

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $4,196 in Pomona, CA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Pomona, CA $4,196

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,663 in Pomona, CA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Pomona, CA $5,663

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Pomona, CA 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$27.85 $27.85

-26.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$75.0 $75.0

12.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.03 $10.03

20.84%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.32 $5.32

6.20%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.71 $1.71

115.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.27 $1.27

85.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.86 $4.86

61.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$5.81 $5.81

51.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.29 $1.29

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.82 $3.82

-3.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.94 $2.94

12.59%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.94 $2.94

41.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$13.71 $13.71

-5.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$13.03 $13.03

6.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$12.25 $12.25

33.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.32 $3.32

41.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.34 $1.34

8.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.35 $2.35

117.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.23 $2.23

102.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.77 $1.77

74.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.72 $1.72

38.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.13 $1.13

59.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.75 $1.75

26.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.80 $10.80

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.44 $13.44

11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.59 $1.59

83.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.76 $2.76

20.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.30 $2.30

-46.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$19.30 $19.30

110.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.55 $3.55

-21.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.82 $1.82

-9.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$24.44 $24.44

44.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.35 $1.35

-29.63%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$30.3K $30.3K

12.75%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.75%

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

$223 $223

$247 $247

-9.76%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$60.3 $60.3

-3.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$47.98 $47.98

48.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$20.25 $20.25

161.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$40.64 $40.64

-58.78%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.18 $12.18

15.44%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$557 $557

162.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$8,257 $8,257

158.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$31.17 $31.17

68.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$34.96 $34.96

22.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$72.2 $72.2

19.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$91.4 $91.4

13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,927 $1,927

9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,482 $1,482

-17.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$3,482 $3,482

10.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,898 $2,898

-16.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$19.2K $19.2K

-61.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$4,453 $4,453

-31.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,623 $3,623

42.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.5

4.92%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Pomona, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Pomona, CA

$1.5K 54.3% 20.5% $252

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Pomona, CA

$337 12.4% 17.6% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Pomona, CA

$355 13% 0.8% $2.8

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Pomona, CA

$365 13.4% 4.7% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Pomona, CA

$103 3.8% 19.5% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Pomona, CA

$45 1.6% 45% $37

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Pomona, CA

$41 1.5% 27.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,927 in Pomona, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 43% 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 $75 in Pomona, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $337 per month, with Pomona, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Pomona, CA

🕒 Local time

19:21 7:21 PM

17:21 5:21 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

154,271

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Pomona, CA 1,930 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Pomona, 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 43% 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 $1,927 in Pomona, 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 $2,729 in Pomona, CA – Austin, TX is about 4% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Pomona, CA runs roughly 52% less than in Austin, TX. 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.