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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,660 in Brea, CA versus $2,701 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,236 in Brea, CA versus $4,086 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,812 in Brea, CA versus $5,470 in Austin, TX.

Living in Brea, CA costs roughly 2% less than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brea, CA 99% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.97 $19.97

2.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.2 $86.2

$74.5 $74.5

15.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$9.85 $9.85

3.45%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$5.79 $5.79

-14.68%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$2.75 $2.75

-2.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.17 $2.17

-6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 $6.95

$5.98 $5.98

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$8.11 $8.11

-15.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.10 $1.10

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.28 $3.28

19.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$3.37 $3.37

42.73%

Eggs

$4.54 $4.54

$4.31 $4.31

5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 $12.59

$12.02 $12.02

4.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 $11.71

$10.58 $10.58

10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 $14.60

$14.59 $14.59

0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.04 $5.04

-30.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.57 $1.57

19.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$4.38 $4.38

-12.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$4.07 $4.07

37.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.77 $2.77

18.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.82 $2.82

9.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.96 $1.96

4.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.23 $2.23

-2.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$8.75 $8.75

15.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.71 $14.71

3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.34 $2.34

-27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.47 $3.47

34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.52 $1.52

30.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.74 $42.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.31 $4.31

-6.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.80 $1.80

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.83 $31.83

$35.23 $35.23

-9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.80 $0.80

60.00%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

-3.81%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.96%

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

$199 $199

$173 $173

14.80%

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

$46.42 $46.42

$58.5 $58.5

-20.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 $60.1

$67.1 $67.1

-10.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.49 $42.49

$61.8 $61.8

-31.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$13.90 $13.90

$14.80 $14.80

-6.08%

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

$1,230 $1,230

$1,414 $1,414

-12.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K $40.9K

$22.1K $22.1K

84.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 $69.2

$54.9 $54.9

26.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.19 $34.19

$46.67 $46.67

-26.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$87.6 $87.6

-1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$119 $119

5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 $1,595

$2,200 $2,200

-27.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$1,428 $1,428

-5.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 $2,800

$3,769 $3,769

-25.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,988 $2,988

$2,704 $2,704

10.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,815 $5,815

$7,334 $7,334

-20.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,883 $5,883

$3,140 $3,140

87.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$10.1K $10.1K

$5,093 $5,093

99.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

6.45

2.02%

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

Last update for Brea, CA: July 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Brea, CA and $2,200 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 99% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Brea, CA vs $74.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $376 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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

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

Brea, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brea, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 99% higher in Brea, CA, 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: $1,595 in Brea, CA versus $2,200 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,230 in Brea, CA versus $1,414 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brea, CA – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $74.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Brea, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,660 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brea, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Brea, CA and Austin, TX 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 Brea, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.