Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and San Juan

For one person, living is cheaper in San Juan: $749 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
San Juan
🇵🇭 Philippines
$749
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in San Juan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $749 in San Juan.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • San Juan $749

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,101 in San Juan.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • San Juan $1,101

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,452 in San Juan.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • San Juan $1,452

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 255% more expensive than in San Juan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, San Juan is 45% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$4.05 ₱255
412.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$16.88 ₱1,063
401.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$2.82 ₱177
336.88%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.76 ₱174
103.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$0.66 ₱41.30
463.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.31 ₱19.48
706.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$1.07 ₱67.2
652.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$1.56 ₱98.5
477.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.69 ₱107
-33.73%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.12 ₱70.5
234.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$0.84 ₱52.7
288.10%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$1.82 ₱114
129.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$5.24 ₱330
146.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$3.46 ₱218
309.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$7.21 ₱454
124.97%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.32 ₱146
86.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.36 ₱85.9
7.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.33 ₱147
93.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$1.06 ₱66.8
309.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.69 ₱107
52.66%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.74 ₱109
35.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$0.67 ₱42.17
165.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.97 ₱61.3
128.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$2.71 ₱171
264.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$7.79 ₱490
93.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$0.92 ₱58.0
217.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.84 ₱116
88.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.26 ₱16.26
473.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$12.14 ₱764
243.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$0.79 ₱49.71
245.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$0.23 ₱14.52
621.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$1.95 ₱123
1710.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.24 ₱77.8
-23.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$21.0K ₱1.3M
71.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$19.0K ₱1.2M
42.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$141 ₱8,877
62.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$14.25 ₱897
316.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$24.38 ₱1,535
186.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$30.07 ₱1,893
90.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$4.41 ₱278
270.29%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$5.07 ₱319
181.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$74.3 ₱4,677
1927.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$2,556 ₱160.9K
739.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$29.32 ₱1,846
80.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$19.71 ₱1,241
122.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$72.1 ₱4,539
17.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$56.8 ₱3,573
81.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$303 ₱19.1K
528.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$173 ₱10.9K
635.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$515 ₱32.4K
611.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$302 ₱19.0K
741.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$2,681 ₱168.8K
184.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$1,115 ₱70.2K
183.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
San Juan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$243 ₱15.3K
2003.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
6.75
0.59%

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 Juan: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
San Juan
$173 86.4% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
San Juan
$175 56.9% $230
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
San Juan
$180 49.9% $179
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
San Juan
$86 75.6% $268
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
San Juan
$80 37.5% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
San Juan
$40 53.1% $46
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
San Juan
$15 74.2% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $303 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2004% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $17.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $175 per month, with San Juan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇵🇭 San Juan
🕒 Local time
12:32 12:32 PM
01:32 1:32 AM
13 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
126,347
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX San Juan 13,520 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • San Juan

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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or San Juan?
San Juan wins on cost – living expenses run 255% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Juan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in San Juan?
Average pay runs 2004% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to San Juan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $303 in San Juan. 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 San Juan?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $749 in San Juan – a 255% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to San Juan?
A monthly transit pass in San Juan runs roughly 244% 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 San Juan?
At $749 in San Juan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or San Juan?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find San Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 255% 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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