Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Westminster, CA: $2,607 and $2,605 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Westminster, CA
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Westminster, CA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Westminster, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,605 in Westminster, CA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Westminster, CA $2,605

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,759 in Westminster, CA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Westminster, CA $3,759

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,914 in Westminster, CA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Westminster, CA $4,914

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Westminster, CA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Westminster, CA 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$25.02 $25.02

-18.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$76.7 $76.7

10.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.63 $11.63

4.21%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.59 $5.59

1.07%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.74 $2.74

34.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.03 $2.03

16.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.41 $7.41

6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$9.52 $9.52

-7.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.15 $1.15

-0.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$5.31 $5.31

-30.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.39 $4.39

-24.60%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.04 $5.04

-17.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$12.29 $12.29

5.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$8.99 $8.99

54.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$13.77 $13.77

18.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.84 $4.84

-3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.79 $1.79

-18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.06 $4.06

25.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.67 $5.67

-20.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.67 $3.67

-16.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.06 $3.06

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.06 $2.06

-12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.20 $2.20

0.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.99 $11.99

-16.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.76 $14.76

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.74 $1.74

67.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.13 $3.13

6.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.10 $2.10

-41.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$57.0 $57.0

-28.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.44 $4.44

-37.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.83 $1.83

-9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$36.13 $36.13

-2.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.59 $1.59

-40.25%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$28.1K $28.1K

21.80%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.79%

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

$223 $223

$215 $215

3.80%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$71.0 $71.0

-17.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$69.8 $69.8

1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$38.50 $38.50

37.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$11.93 $11.93

17.85%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,173 $1,173

24.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$42.8K $42.8K

-50.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$74.4 $74.4

-29.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$48.05 $48.05

-11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$106 $106

-18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$102 $102

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,380 $1,380

53.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,181 $1,181

4.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,858 $2,858

35.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,799 $1,799

33.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,548 $2,548

191.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,259 $2,259

35.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$4,454 $4,454

16.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.31

8.08%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Westminster, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Westminster, CA

$1.2K 45.4% 4% $49

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Westminster, CA

$401 15.4% 2.1% $8.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Westminster, CA

$356 13.7% 0.9% $3

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Westminster, CA

$377 14.5% 8.4% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Westminster, CA

$149 5.7% 15.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Westminster, CA

$62 2.4% 23.2% $19

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Westminster, CA

$79 3% 39.9% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,380 in Westminster, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 16% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $77 in Westminster, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $401 per month, with Westminster, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Westminster, CA

🕒 Local time

15:24 3:24 PM

13:24 1:24 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

110,945

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Westminster, CA 1,950 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Average pay runs 16% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,380 in Westminster, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 29% less than in Westminster, CA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Dining out is cheaper in Westminster, CA – a meal for two runs $77 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Westminster, CA gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Westminster, CA wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.