Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and San Miguel

For one person, living is cheaper in San Miguel: $1,339 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 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
65

Cost of Living Index in San Miguel
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San Miguel Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

San Miguel

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,339

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,339 in San Miguel.

Austin, TX $2,663
San Miguel $1,339

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,969 in San Miguel.

Austin, TX $4,133
San Miguel $1,969

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,599 in San Miguel.

Austin, TX $5,603
San Miguel $2,599

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 99% more expensive than in San Miguel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, San Miguel is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$4.07 $4.07

410.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$24.63 $24.63

243.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$6.54 $6.54

88.38%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.95 $2.95

90.85%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.77 $0.77

383.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.64 $0.64

290.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.95 $1.95

312.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$3.51 $3.51

156.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.81 $1.81

-38.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.81 $2.81

33.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.39 $1.39

134.53%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.08 $3.08

35.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$7.70 $7.70

67.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$6.94 $6.94

104.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$10.45 $10.45

55.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.19 $5.19

-16.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.42 $1.42

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.63 $2.63

71.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.47 $3.47

25.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.98 $2.98

-13.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.21 $3.21

-26.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.01 $1.01

76.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.99 $0.99

124.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.07 $4.07

142.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$11.86 $11.86

27.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.19 $2.19

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.83 $2.83

22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.37 $0.37

302.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$27.13 $27.13

53.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$6.08 $6.08

-55.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.95 $2.95

-43.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$9.90 $9.90

256.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.23 $1.23

-22.76%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

43.56%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$27.2K $27.2K

-0.28%

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

$229 $229

$131 $131

74.71%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$21.36 $21.36

178.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$41.76 $41.76

67.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$28.38 $28.38

101.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$22.13 $22.13

-26.21%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$5.02 $5.02

184.46%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$162 $162

829.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$4,371 $4,371

390.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$64.1 $64.1

-17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$47.60 $47.60

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$118 $118

-28.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$119 $119

-13.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$697 $697

173.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$503 $503

153.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$989 $989

270.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$834 $834

204.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,337 $1,337

469.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$958 $958

229.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$385 $385

1231.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

8.5

-20.12%

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 Miguel: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

San Miguel

$503 37.6% 60.5% $771

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

San Miguel

$287 21.4% 29.1% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

San Miguel

$194 14.5% 45.8% $164

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

San Miguel

$110 8.2% 68.9% $244

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

San Miguel

$157 11.7% 22.6% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

San Miguel

$38 2.9% 55.2% $47

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

San Miguel

$49 3.7% 15.7% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $697 in San Miguel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1232% 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 $25.00 in San Miguel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $287 per month, with San Miguel cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇻 San Miguel

🕒 Local time

17:07 5:07 PM

16:07 4:07 PM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

247,126

💱 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 Miguel 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
San Miguel

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 Miguel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Miguel wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Miguel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1232% 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 $697 in San Miguel. 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 $1,339 in San Miguel – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Miguel runs roughly 54% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,339 in San Miguel versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Miguel but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes San Miguel the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Miguel 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 San Miguel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.