Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Torrance, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,520 in Torrance, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 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
172

Cost of Living Index in Torrance, CA
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Torrance, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Torrance, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,520

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $3,520 in Torrance, CA.

Austin, TX $2,663
Torrance, CA $3,520

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $5,192 in Torrance, CA.

Austin, TX $4,133
Torrance, CA $5,192

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $6,864 in Torrance, CA.

Austin, TX $5,603
Torrance, CA $6,864

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 24% less than in Torrance, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Torrance, CA 161% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$24.76 $24.76

-16.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$78.5 $78.5

7.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$14.75 $14.75

-16.47%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.66 $4.66

20.82%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$3.77 $3.77

-1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.74 $2.74

-8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.06 $8.06

-0.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$9.85 $9.85

-8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.29 $1.29

-13.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.70 $4.70

-20.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.89 $4.89

-33.33%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.47 $4.47

-6.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$11.62 $11.62

11.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$16.07 $16.07

-11.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$19.91 $19.91

-18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.02 $5.02

-13.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.33 $2.33

-37.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.73 $4.73

-4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.55 $5.55

-21.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.06 $3.06

-15.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.14 $3.14

-25.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.08 $2.08

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.62 $2.62

-15.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$12.92 $12.92

-23.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.89 $14.89

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.46 $2.46

18.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.06 $3.06

13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.97 $1.97

-24.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$40.40 $40.40

3.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.13 $3.13

-12.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.84 $1.84

-9.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$32.67 $32.67

8.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.46 $1.46

-34.93%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.8K $36.8K

-1.98%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.5K $26.5K

2.02%

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

$229 $229

$256 $256

-10.55%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$53.2 $53.2

11.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$72.2 $72.2

-3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$59.3 $59.3

-3.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$25.36 $25.36

-35.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$19.95 $19.95

-28.42%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,694 $1,694

-11.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$15.1K $15.1K

42.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$64.5 $64.5

-18.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$63.7 $63.7

-31.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$107 $107

-20.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$192 $192

-46.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,612 $2,612

-26.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,941 $1,941

-34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,298 $4,298

-14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$3,426 $3,426

-25.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$7,546 $7,546

0.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$6,336 $6,336

-50.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$5,675 $5,675

-9.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.39

6.26%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Torrance, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Torrance, CA

$1.9K 55.1% 52.3% $667

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Torrance, CA

$461 13.1% 14% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Torrance, CA

$381 10.8% 6.5% $23

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Torrance, CA

$384 10.9% 8.6% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Torrance, CA

$192 5.5% 50.2% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Torrance, CA

$99 2.8% 15.7% $13

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Torrance, CA

$61 1.7% 3.2% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $2,612 in Torrance, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torrance, CA pays 11% 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 $79.0 in Torrance, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $461, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Torrance, CA

🕒 Local time

15:30 3:30 PM

13:30 1:30 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

142,350

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Torrance, CA 1,980 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Torrance, 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 11% lower in Torrance, 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 $2,612 in Torrance, 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 $3,520 in Torrance, CA – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 3% less than in Torrance, 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 Torrance, 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 32% less than in Torrance, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.