Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Walnut, CA: $2,568 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Austin, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in Walnut, CA
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Walnut, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Walnut, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,568

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,568 in Walnut, CA.

Austin, TX $2,698
Walnut, CA $2,568

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,821 in Walnut, CA.

Austin, TX $4,160
Walnut, CA $3,821

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $5,075 in Walnut, CA.

Austin, TX $5,622
Walnut, CA $5,075

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 5% more expensive than in Walnut, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Walnut, CA 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$19.90 $19.90

3.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$81.0 $81.0

4.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$15.14 $15.14

-20.28%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.25 $6.25

-12.32%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$3.44 $3.44

10.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.37 $2.37

4.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.30 $7.30

10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.27 $9.27

-4.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.08 $1.08

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.99 $3.99

-6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.84 $4.84

-30.37%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.77 $4.77

-9.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$12.93 $12.93

1.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$19.85 $19.85

-28.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$15.69 $15.69

4.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.06 $5.06

-10.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.67 $1.67

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.59 $5.59

-15.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.87 $5.87

-29.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.74 $3.74

-31.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.30 $2.30

2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.97 $1.97

-10.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.86 $1.86

15.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.63 $11.63

-13.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.00 $2.00

41.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.15 $4.15

-17.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.98 $1.98

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$61.2 $61.2

-32.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$6.29 $6.29

-55.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.69 $1.69

-5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$32.00 $32.00

7.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.56 $1.56

-39.74%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$28.6K $28.6K

18.80%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.21%

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

$223 $223

$165 $165

34.74%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$66.3 $66.3

-11.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$58.2 $58.2

21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$42.06 $42.06

37.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$15.15 $15.15

-5.87%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,872 $1,872

-19.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$20.4K $20.4K

2.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$57.4 $57.4

-10.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$39.76 $39.76

11.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$93.4 $93.4

-6.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$146 $146

-28.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,540 $1,540

26.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,157 $1,157

13.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,747 $2,747

33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,897 $1,897

35.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$3,014 $3,014

144.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,422 $2,422

29.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

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 19, 2026

Last update for Walnut, 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%

Walnut, CA

$1.2K 45.1% 12.1% $160

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Walnut, CA

$456 17.8% 12.3% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Walnut, CA

$290 11.3% 17.7% $62

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Walnut, CA

$358 13.9% 2.3% $7.9

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Walnut, CA

$151 5.9% 17.2% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Walnut, CA

$72 2.8% 16.1% $14

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Walnut, CA

$84 3.3% 44.7% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,540 in Walnut, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $81.0 in Walnut, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $456, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Walnut, CA

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

14:03 2:03 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

31,294

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Walnut, CA 1,940 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Walnut, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Walnut, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,046 in Austin, TX and $3,852 in Walnut, CA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,540 in Walnut, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,568 in Walnut, CA – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Walnut, CA runs roughly 49% 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. Walnut, 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Walnut, 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 Walnut, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.