Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and San Clemente, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,426 in San Clemente, CA, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
168

Cost of Living Index in San Clemente, CA
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San Clemente, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

San Clemente, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $3,426 in San Clemente, CA.

Austin, TX $2,663
San Clemente, CA $3,426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $5,328 in San Clemente, CA.

Austin, TX $4,133
San Clemente, CA $5,328

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $7,230 in San Clemente, CA.

Austin, TX $5,603
San Clemente, CA $7,230

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 22% less than in San Clemente, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, San Clemente, CA 154% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$25.27 $25.27

-17.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$99.2 $99.2

-14.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$12.31 $12.31

0.08%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.80 $5.80

-2.93%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$3.14 $3.14

18.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.60 $2.60

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.07 $8.07

-0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$9.56 $9.56

-5.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.10 $1.10

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.40 $4.40

-14.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.74 $4.74

-31.22%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.97 $3.97

5.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$16.46 $16.46

-21.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$13.88 $13.88

2.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$18.72 $18.72

-13.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.73 $4.73

-8.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.91 $1.91

-23.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.31 $4.31

4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.84 $4.84

-10.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.15 $3.15

-18.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.59 $2.59

-9.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.16 $2.16

-17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.07 $2.07

7.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$7.43 $7.43

32.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.58 $15.58

-3.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.22 $2.22

31.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.10 $3.10

11.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.80 $2.80

-46.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$46.53 $46.53

-10.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.05 $3.05

-10.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.12 $2.12

-21.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$27.53 $27.53

28.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.26 $1.26

-24.60%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

28.51%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.87%

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

$229 $229

$247 $247

-7.19%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$74.7 $74.7

-20.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$84.9 $84.9

-17.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$44.29 $44.29

29.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$17.63 $17.63

-7.37%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$15.24 $15.24

-6.30%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$986 $986

52.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$35.6K $35.6K

-39.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$67.1 $67.1

-21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$29.46 $29.46

48.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$88.6 $88.6

-4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$143 $143

-28.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,340 $2,340

-18.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,897 $1,897

-32.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,044 $4,044

-9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$3,813 $3,813

-33.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$6,394 $6,394

19.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$3,293 $3,293

-4.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,980 $3,980

28.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.19

9.69%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for San Clemente, CA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

San Clemente, CA

$1.9K 55.4% 48.9% $623

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

San Clemente, CA

$438 12.8% 8.3% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

San Clemente, CA

$406 11.9% 13.4% $48

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

San Clemente, CA

$391 11.4% 10.5% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

San Clemente, CA

$148 4.3% 15.6% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

San Clemente, CA

$75 2.2% 12.8% $11

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

San Clemente, CA

$71 2.1% 21.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $2,340 in San Clemente, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $99.0 in San Clemente, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $438 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 San Clemente, CA

🕒 Local time

20:11 8:11 PM

18:11 6:11 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

65,526

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX San Clemente, CA 1,910 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in San Clemente, 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 29% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $2,340 in San Clemente, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,426 in San Clemente, CA – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 12% less than in San Clemente, 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 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and San Clemente, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in San Clemente, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.