Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Santa Clara, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $4,189 in Santa Clara, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
203

Cost of Living Index in Santa Clara, CA
Learn more

Santa Clara, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Santa Clara, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,189

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $4,189 in Santa Clara, CA.

Austin, TX $2,663
Santa Clara, CA $4,189

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $5,899 in Santa Clara, CA.

Austin, TX $4,133
Santa Clara, CA $5,899

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $7,608 in Santa Clara, CA.

Austin, TX $5,603
Santa Clara, CA $7,608

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 36% less than in Santa Clara, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Santa Clara, CA 210% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$24.66 $24.66

-15.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$111 $111

-23.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$11.90 $11.90

3.53%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.75 $5.75

-2.09%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$3.05 $3.05

21.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.40 $2.40

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.77 $7.77

3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$8.13 $8.13

10.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.27 $1.27

-11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.20 $4.20

-10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.72 $4.72

-30.93%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$5.46 $5.46

-23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$24.69 $24.69

-47.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$11.90 $11.90

18.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$12.97 $12.97

25.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.55 $5.55

-21.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.36 $2.36

-38.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.86 $4.86

-7.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.78 $5.78

-24.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.28 $3.28

-21.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.06 $3.06

-23.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.06 $3.06

-41.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.74 $2.74

-18.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$7.65 $7.65

29.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.09 $13.09

15.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.70 $1.70

71.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.54 $2.54

36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.92 $2.92

-48.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$89.3 $89.3

-53.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.27 $3.27

-16.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.47 $2.47

-32.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$39.36 $39.36

-10.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.50 $1.50

-36.67%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$37.5K $37.5K

-3.87%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.57%

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

$229 $229

$191 $191

19.59%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$39.17 $39.17

51.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$62.9 $62.9

11.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$98.3 $98.3

-41.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.14 $14.14

15.49%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$16.13 $16.13

-11.47%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$2,693 $2,693

-44.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$37.4K $37.4K

-42.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$50.8 $50.8

4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$40.79 $40.79

7.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$76.5 $76.5

10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$59.8 $59.8

72.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,946 $2,946

-35.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$2,708 $2,708

-52.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,427 $4,427

-17.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$4,153 $4,153

-38.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$8,978 $8,978

-15.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$8,900 $8,900

-64.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$8,229 $8,229

-37.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.77

0.30%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Clara, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Santa Clara, CA

$2.7K 64.6% 113% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Santa Clara, CA

$459 11% 13.5% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Santa Clara, CA

$294 7% 18.1% $65

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Santa Clara, CA

$379 9% 7% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Santa Clara, CA

$103 2.5% 19.9% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Santa Clara, CA

$131 3.1% 52.2% $45

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Santa Clara, CA

$117 2.8% 98.6% $58

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $2,946 in Santa Clara, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Clara, CA pays 61% 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 $111 in Santa Clara, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $459 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Santa Clara, CA

🕒 Local time

15:00 3:00 PM

13:00 1:00 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

130,365

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Santa Clara, CA 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Santa Clara, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 61% lower in Santa Clara, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $2,946 in Santa Clara, 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 $4,189 in Santa Clara, CA – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 114% less than in Santa Clara, 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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,663 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Santa Clara, 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 57% less than in Santa Clara, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.