Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Union City, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $4,153 in Union City, CA, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Union City, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
199

Cost of Living Index in Union City, CA
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Union City, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Union City, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,153

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $4,153 in Union City, CA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Union City, CA $4,153

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $6,121 in Union City, CA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Union City, CA $6,121

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $8,090 in Union City, CA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Union City, CA $8,090

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 35% less than in Union City, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Union City, CA 206% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$22.48 $22.48

-8.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$101 $101

-16.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$13.05 $13.05

-7.51%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.59 $5.59

-1.97%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.95 $2.95

28.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.45 $2.45

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.02 $8.02

0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.84 $9.84

-9.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.27 $1.27

-12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.53 $4.53

-17.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.01 $4.01

-15.96%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$5.99 $5.99

-27.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$20.01 $20.01

-34.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$13.12 $13.12

7.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$9.05 $9.05

80.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.19 $5.19

-12.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.95 $1.95

-25.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.68 $2.68

75.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.35 $4.35

-4.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.23 $2.23

15.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.91 $2.91

-19.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.44 $2.44

-27.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.50 $2.50

-14.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.66 $11.66

-13.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.61 $15.61

-2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.45 $2.45

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.30 $3.30

4.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.52 $3.52

-20.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.87 $1.87

-14.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$29.63 $29.63

15.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.52 $1.52

-38.16%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

24.47%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.54%

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

$223 $223

$279 $279

-20.33%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$47.53 $47.53

23.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$82.7 $82.7

-14.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$42.49 $42.49

35.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$16.76 $16.76

-14.92%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,841 $1,841

-17.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$39.2K $39.2K

-46.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$41.10 $41.10

24.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$51.6 $51.6

-14.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$87.7 $87.7

-0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$122 $122

-14.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$3,505 $3,505

-44.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,728 $2,728

-51.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,794 $4,794

-23.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$4,944 $4,944

-48.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$7,169 $7,169

-26.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.67

1.80%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Union City, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Union City, CA

$2.7K 65.7% 107% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Union City, CA

$423 10.2% 4.2% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Union City, CA

$410 9.9% 16.3% $58

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Union City, CA

$367 8.9% 4.9% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Union City, CA

$136 3.3% 5.4% $7

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Union City, CA

$76 1.8% 11.8% $10

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Union City, CA

$13 * 0.3% 77.8% $45

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 $1,940 in Austin, TX and $3,505 in Union City, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Union City, CA pays 36% 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 $101 in Union City, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $423 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Union City, CA

🕒 Local time

02:36 2:36 AM

00:36 12:36 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

63,930

💱 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 Union City, CA 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Union City, 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 36% lower in Union City, 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $3,505 in Union City, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,841 in Union City, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $101 in Union City, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Union City, 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 54% less than in Union City, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.