Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,092 in Cerritos, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cerritos, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,092
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cerritos, CA and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cerritos, CA and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,092 in Cerritos, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

  • Cerritos, CA $3,092
  • Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,252 in Cerritos, CA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

  • Cerritos, CA $3,252
  • Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,413 in Cerritos, CA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

  • Cerritos, CA $3,413
  • Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Cerritos, CA is roughly 15% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cerritos, CA 128% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.09 $25.09
$20.63 $20.63
21.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$102 $102
$84.6 $84.6
20.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.89 $15.89
$12.07 $12.07
31.65%
Cappuccino
$5.58 $5.58
$5.48 $5.48
1.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 $3.20
$3.80 $3.80
-15.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 $2.79
$2.47 $2.47
12.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.91 $7.91
$8.05 $8.05
-1.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.82 $9.82
$8.88 $8.88
10.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.11 $1.11
15.32%
White Bread (500g)
$4.92 $4.92
$3.72 $3.72
32.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.64 $4.64
$3.37 $3.37
37.69%
Eggs
$5.61 $5.61
$4.32 $4.32
29.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.68 $11.68
$13.13 $13.13
-11.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.73 $8.73
$14.15 $14.15
-38.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.88 $19.88
$16.33 $16.33
21.74%
Apples (1kg)
$4.83 $4.83
$4.55 $4.55
6.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.41 $2.41
$1.46 $1.46
65.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.31 $4.31
$4.71 $4.71
-8.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.72 $5.72
$4.15 $4.15
37.83%
Potato (1kg)
$3.35 $3.35
$2.58 $2.58
29.84%
Onion (1kg)
$2.78 $2.78
$2.35 $2.35
18.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.77 $1.77
11.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.49 $2.49
$2.14 $2.14
16.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.95 $11.95
$10.10 $10.10
18.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.84 $14.84
$15.19 $15.19
-2.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$2.82 $2.82
-13.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 $2.77
$3.44 $3.44
-19.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.54 $1.54
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.99 $40.99
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 $3.11
$2.80 $2.80
11.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.60 $1.60
12.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.88 $31.88
$34.34 $34.34
-7.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 $1.55
$0.94 $0.94
64.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K $28.5K
$34.0K $34.0K
-16.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$26.8K $26.8K
0.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 $215
$223 $223
-3.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$76.8 $76.8
$58.9 $58.9
30.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$81.1 $81.1
$70.6 $70.6
14.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$120 $120
$57.7 $57.7
107.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.53 $16.53
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.89 $19.89
$14.26 $14.26
39.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,179 $1,179
$1,511 $1,511
-21.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.1K $32.1K
$20.9K $20.9K
53.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.8 $62.8
$51.3 $51.3
22.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.61 $47.61
$44.17 $44.17
7.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 $115
$87.0 $87.0
31.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 $102
$104 $104
-1.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,989 $1,989
$1,940 $1,940
2.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 $1,576
$1,316 $1,316
19.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,540 $3,540
$3,664 $3,664
-3.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,565 $2,565
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,354 $7,354
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,129 $3,129
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cerritos, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$5,286 $5,286
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.31
6.79
-7.07%

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

Last update for Cerritos, CA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cerritos, CA
$1.6K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 16.5% $259
Groceries & Markets
Cerritos, CA
$427
Austin, TX
$406 4.8% $21
Eating Out
Cerritos, CA
$399
Austin, TX
$350 12.2% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cerritos, CA
$372
Austin, TX
$352 5.5% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Cerritos, CA
$160
Austin, TX
$86 46% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Cerritos, CA
$147
Austin, TX
$129 12.4% $18
Getting Around
Cerritos, CA
$12 *
Austin, TX
$58 379% $46

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 $1,989 in Cerritos, CA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $102 in Cerritos, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $427 vs $406 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Cerritos, CA
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
14:03 2:03 PM
16:03 4:03 PM
2 h ahead of Cerritos, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
49,041
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cerritos, CA Austin, TX 1,950 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cerritos, CA
  • Austin, TX

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
Cerritos, CA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cerritos, CA or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Cerritos, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cerritos, CA and in Austin, TX?
You'd need roughly $4,638 in Cerritos, CA and $4,046 in Austin, TX 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cerritos, CA compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,989 in Cerritos, CA versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Cerritos, CA and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $1,179 in Cerritos, CA versus $1,511 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Cerritos, CA and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $102 in Cerritos, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Cerritos, CA or in Austin, TX?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cerritos, CA or Austin, TX?
Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.
How safe is Cerritos, CA compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Cerritos, 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Cerritos, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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