Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Tres Cantos

For one person, living is cheaper in Tres Cantos: $1,640 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Tres Cantos
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,640
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Tres Cantos

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,640 in Tres Cantos.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Tres Cantos $1,640

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,406 in Tres Cantos.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Tres Cantos $2,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,171 in Tres Cantos.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Tres Cantos $3,171

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 62% more expensive than in Tres Cantos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Tres Cantos 22% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$16.59 €14.76
25.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$56.7 €50.4
49.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$11.00 €9.78
12.00%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.34 €2.08
140.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.56 €2.28
45.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.87 €1.66
33.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$3.39 €3.01
137.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$3.55 €3.16
153.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.18 €1.05
-5.08%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.48 €1.32
153.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.62 €1.44
101.23%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$3.35 €2.98
24.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$13.36 €11.88
-3.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$7.96 €7.08
77.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$15.53 €13.81
4.44%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.56 €2.28
69.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.01 €1.79
-27.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.91 €1.70
136.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.58 €2.29
68.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.79 €1.59
44.13%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.99 €1.77
18.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.33 €1.18
33.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.68 €0.60
226.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$6.32 €5.62
56.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$5.55 €4.94
171.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.18 €1.05
147.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.23 €1.99
55.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.65 €1.46
-9.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$32.40 €28.82
28.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.99 €3.55
-31.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.42 €1.26
16.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$23.12 €20.56
52.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.76 €1.56
-46.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$35.9K €31.9K
0.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$28.6K €25.4K
-5.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$143 €127
60.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$18.25 €16.23
225.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$29.50 €26.24
136.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$44.25 €39.36
29.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$15.66 €13.93
4.28%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$8.91 €7.92
60.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$467 €415
222.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$8,395 €7,467
155.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$86.7 €77.1
-39.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$35.97 €31.99
21.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$91.3 €81.2
-7.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$114 €102
-9.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$884 €786
115.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$692 €616
84.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,350 €1,201
171.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,004 €893
152.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$3,352 €2,982
127.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$2,235 €1,988
41.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Tres Cantos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$3,300 €2,935
55.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
3.3
105.76%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tres Cantos: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Tres Cantos
$692 45.7% $582
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Tres Cantos
$263 35.1% $142
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Tres Cantos
$190 46.9% $168
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Tres Cantos
$236 33.4% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Tres Cantos
$148 15.4% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Tres Cantos
$62 27.6% $24
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Tres Cantos
$50 14.7% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $884 in Tres Cantos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 55% 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 $57.0 in Tres Cantos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $263 per month, with Tres Cantos cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇪🇸 Tres Cantos
🕒 Local time
07:41 7:41 AM
14:41 2:41 PM
7 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
51,453
💱 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 Tres Cantos 8,190 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Tres Cantos

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 Tres Cantos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Tres Cantos?
Tres Cantos wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tres Cantos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Tres Cantos?
Average pay runs 55% 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 Tres Cantos?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $884 in Tres Cantos. 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 Tres Cantos?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,640 in Tres Cantos – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Tres Cantos?
A monthly transit pass in Tres Cantos runs roughly 29% 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 Tres Cantos?
At $1,640 in Tres Cantos versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tres Cantos but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Tres Cantos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Tres Cantos?
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 Tres Cantos?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Tres Cantos 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 Tres Cantos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% 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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