Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Rota

For one person, living is cheaper in Rota: $1,647 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Rota
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,647
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Rota

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 Rota actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,647 in Rota.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Rota $1,647

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,427 in Rota.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Rota $2,427

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,208 in Rota.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Rota $3,208

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 62% more expensive than in Rota, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Rota 22% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$16.78 €14.92
23.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$61.7 €54.9
37.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$12.52 €11.14
-1.60%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.20 €1.96
155.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.71 €2.41
37.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.90 €1.69
31.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$3.45 €3.07
133.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$4.45 €3.96
102.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.23 €1.10
-8.94%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.43 €1.27
162.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.74 €1.55
87.36%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$3.33 €2.96
25.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$15.21 €13.53
-15.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$8.00 €7.12
77.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$15.12 €13.45
7.28%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.54 €2.26
70.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.96 €1.75
-25.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.74 €1.55
159.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.46 €2.19
76.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.63 €1.45
58.28%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.06 €1.83
14.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.21 €1.07
47.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.66 €0.59
236.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$6.45 €5.74
53.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$6.85 €6.09
120.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.20 €1.07
143.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.30 €2.05
50.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.62 €1.44
-8.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$33.00 €29.36
26.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.90 €1.69
43.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.19 €1.06
39.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$22.73 €20.22
55.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.78 €1.58
-46.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$35.5K €31.6K
1.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$29.4K €26.2K
-7.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$161 €143
42.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$10.68 €9.50
456.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$24.55 €21.84
184.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$44.81 €39.86
27.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$15.66 €13.93
4.28%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$9.55 €8.49
49.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$835 €742
80.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$9,861 €8,771
117.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$87.9 €78.2
-39.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$39.30 €34.96
11.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$83.8 €74.6
1.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$108 €96.2
-4.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$896 €797
112.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$685 €609
86.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,349 €1,200
171.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,006 €895
152.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$3,230 €2,873
135.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$2,174 €1,934
45.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Rota
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.32
104.52%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rota: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Rota
$685 46.2% $589
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Rota
$268 33.8% $137
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Rota
$196 45.2% $162
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Rota
$243 31.4% $111
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Rota
$144 12.2% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Rota
$64 25.5% $22
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Rota
$47 19.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $896 in Rota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $62.0 in Rota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $268 per month, with Rota cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇪🇸 Rota
🕒 Local time
13:28 1:28 PM
20:28 8:28 PM
7 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
29,675
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Rota 8,170 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Rota

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 Rota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Rota?
Rota wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rota the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Rota?
You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $2,470 in Rota to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Rota?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $896 in Rota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Rota?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,647 in Rota – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Rota?
A monthly transit pass in Rota runs roughly 26% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Rota?
At $1,647 in Rota versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rota but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Rota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Rota?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Rota?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Rota are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Rota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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