Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tracy, CA: $2,327 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 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
114

Cost of Living Index in Tracy, CA
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Tracy, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Tracy, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,327

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,327 in Tracy, CA.

Austin, TX $2,663
Tracy, CA $2,327

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,585 in Tracy, CA.

Austin, TX $4,133
Tracy, CA $2,585

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,843 in Tracy, CA.

Austin, TX $5,603
Tracy, CA $2,843

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 14% more expensive than in Tracy, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Tracy, CA 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$19.75 $19.75

5.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$50.9 $50.9

66.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.10 $10.10

21.98%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.52 $4.52

24.56%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$3.12 $3.12

19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.81 $1.81

38.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.10 $6.10

31.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$7.44 $7.44

21.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.34 $1.34

-16.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.19 $4.19

-10.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.50 $5.50

-40.73%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.42 $3.42

21.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$16.30 $16.30

-20.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$11.11 $11.11

27.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$15.47 $15.47

4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.45 $4.45

-2.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.26 $2.26

-35.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.36 $4.36

3.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.36 $4.36

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.21 $2.21

16.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.23 $3.23

-27.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.04 $2.04

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.01 $2.01

10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$11.91 $11.91

-17.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.06 $13.06

15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.10 $2.10

39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.75 $2.75

25.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$64.6 $64.6

-35.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.44 $2.44

11.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.85 $1.85

-10.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$29.48 $29.48

19.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.45 $1.45

-34.48%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$37.3K $37.3K

-3.33%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

4.82%

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

$229 $229

$179 $179

28.05%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$50.6 $50.6

17.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$75.7 $75.7

-7.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$14.93 $14.93

-4.35%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$2,471 $2,471

-39.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$35.4K $35.4K

-39.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$71.4 $71.4

-26.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$72.0 $72.0

-39.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$95.8 $95.8

-11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$233 $233

-55.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,775 $1,775

7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$991 $991

28.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$3,758 $3,758

102.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$5,739 $5,739

-10.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.62

2.57%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tracy, CA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Tracy, CA

$991 42.6% 22.2% $283

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Tracy, CA

$404 17.4% 0.1% $0.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Tracy, CA

$305 13.1% 14.8% $53

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Tracy, CA

$308 13.2% 13.1% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Tracy, CA

$212 9.1% 66% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Tracy, CA

$30 * 1.3% 65.2% $56

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Tracy, CA

$76 * 3.3% 30% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,775 in Tracy, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tracy, CA pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $51.0 in Tracy, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $404 per month, with Tracy, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Tracy, CA

🕒 Local time

17:36 5:36 PM

15:36 3:36 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

98,337

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Tracy, CA 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Tracy, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tracy, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Tracy, 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 $1,775 in Tracy, 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 $2,327 in Tracy, CA – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tracy, CA runs roughly 55% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Tracy, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Tracy, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.