Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Santiago de Compostela

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago de Compostela: $1,439 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Santiago de Compostela
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,439
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Santiago de Compostela

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 Santiago de Compostela actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,439 in Santiago de Compostela.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Santiago de Compostela $1,439

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,215 in Santiago de Compostela.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Santiago de Compostela $2,215

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,991 in Santiago de Compostela.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Santiago de Compostela $2,991

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 85% more expensive than in Santiago de Compostela, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Santiago de Compostela 7% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$13.22 €11.76
57.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$66.5 €59.2
27.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$9.21 €8.19
33.77%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$1.95 €1.74
188.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.69 €2.39
38.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$2.17 €1.93
15.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$3.10 €2.76
159.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$3.87 €3.44
132.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.20 €1.07
-6.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.17 €1.04
220.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.32 €1.17
146.97%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$2.77 €2.47
50.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$8.85 €7.88
45.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$6.67 €5.93
112.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$17.00 €15.12
-4.59%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.04 €1.81
112.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.09 €1.86
-30.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.48 €1.32
204.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.86 €2.54
51.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.96 €1.74
31.63%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.47 €1.30
59.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.13 €1.01
57.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.84 €0.75
164.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$5.97 €5.31
65.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$5.12 €4.55
194.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.45 €1.29
101.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.37 €2.11
45.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.19 €1.06
25.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$32.89 €29.26
26.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$4.87 €4.33
-43.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.31 €1.17
26.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$18.83 €16.75
87.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.69 €1.50
-43.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$35.4K €31.5K
1.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$28.8K €25.7K
-6.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$155 €138
47.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$21.74 €19.34
173.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$32.64 €29.04
114.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$51.2 €45.56
11.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$2.19 €1.95
645.66%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$10.11 €8.99
41.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$331 €294
355.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$8,249 €7,337
160.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$87.7 €78.1
-39.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$62.9 €55.9
-30.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$100.0 €88.9
-15.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$92.3 €82.1
11.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$712 €633
167.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$516 €459
146.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,047 €931
250.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$869 €773
192.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$3,001 €2,670
153.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$2,094 €1,863
50.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$1,870 €1,663
173.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
2.96
129.39%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Santiago de Compostela: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Santiago de Compostela
$516 59.5% $758
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Santiago de Compostela
$240 40.8% $165
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Santiago de Compostela
$210 41.5% $149
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Santiago de Compostela
$199 43.6% $154
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Santiago de Compostela
$154 20.6% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Santiago de Compostela
$71 16.7% $14
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Santiago de Compostela
$49 16.4% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $712 in Santiago de Compostela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 174% 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 $66.0 in Santiago de Compostela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $240 per month, with Santiago de Compostela cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇪🇸 Santiago de Compostela
🕒 Local time
05:29 5:29 AM
12:29 12:29 PM
7 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
98,687
💱 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 Santiago de Compostela 7,720 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Santiago de Compostela

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 Santiago de Compostela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Santiago de Compostela?
Santiago de Compostela wins on cost – living expenses run 85% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santiago de Compostela the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Santiago de Compostela?
Average pay runs 174% 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 Santiago de Compostela?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $712 in Santiago de Compostela. 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 Santiago de Compostela?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,439 in Santiago de Compostela – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Santiago de Compostela?
A monthly transit pass in Santiago de Compostela runs roughly 27% 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 Santiago de Compostela?
At $1,439 in Santiago de Compostela versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santiago de Compostela but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago de Compostela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Santiago de Compostela?
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 Santiago de Compostela?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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