Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,976 in Colton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

191

Cost of Living Index in Colton, CA
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Colton, CA Living Index
129

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

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Colton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,976

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,976 in Colton, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Colton, CA $3,976
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,426 in Colton, CA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Colton, CA $5,426
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,875 in Colton, CA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Colton, CA $6,875
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Colton, CA is roughly 47% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colton, CA 193% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.14 $25.14

$20.63 $20.63

21.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$84.6 $84.6

-4.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$12.07 $12.07

24.61%

Cappuccino

$6.02 $6.02

$5.48 $5.48

9.85%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$3.80 $3.80

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.47 $2.47

-2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.05 $8.05

-2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.81 $9.81

$8.88 $8.88

10.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.11 $1.11

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.72 $3.72

33.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.37 $3.37

33.53%

Eggs

$5.51 $5.51

$4.32 $4.32

27.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$13.13 $13.13

-13.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.16 $16.16

$14.15 $14.15

14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.97 $19.97

$16.33 $16.33

22.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.55 $4.55

14.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.46 $1.46

56.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$4.71 $4.71

4.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.15 $4.15

32.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.58 $2.58

30.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.35 $2.35

18.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.77 $1.77

14.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.14 $2.14

14.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$10.10 $10.10

17.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$15.19 $15.19

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.82 $2.82

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.44 $3.44

5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.16 $7.16

$1.54 $1.54

364.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 $80.5

$40.99 $40.99

96.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.80 $2.80

12.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.60 $1.60

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.60 $32.60

$34.34 $34.34

-5.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.94 $0.94

55.32%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$34.0K $34.0K

-10.49%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

1.28%

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

$266 $266

$223 $223

19.41%

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

$76.7 $76.7

$58.9 $58.9

30.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.9 $79.9

$70.6 $70.6

13.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.47 $35.47

$57.7 $57.7

-38.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$18.09 $18.09

$14.26 $14.26

26.86%

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

$1,203 $1,203

$1,511 $1,511

-20.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K $32.4K

$20.9K $20.9K

55.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 $63.1

$51.3 $51.3

23.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.16 $48.16

$44.17 $44.17

9.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$87.0 $87.0

33.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$104 $104

15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 $1,896

$1,940 $1,940

-2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,316 $1,316

77.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,074 $3,074

$3,664 $3,664

-16.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,339 $3,339

$2,565 $2,565

30.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,778 $9,778

$7,354 $7,354

32.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,283 $8,283

$5,286 $5,286

56.67%

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 Colton, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colton, CA

$2.3K 58.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 43.7% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Colton, CA

$469 11.8%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 13.4% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colton, CA

$422 10.6%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 16.6% $70

Eating Out

Colton, CA

$399 10%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 12.3% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Colton, CA

$157 3.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 17.5% $27

Getting Around

Colton, CA

$121 3.1%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 52.2% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Colton, CA

$72 1.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 20.3% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,896 in Colton, CA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colton, CA pays 57% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $81 in Colton, CA vs $85 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $469 vs $406, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Colton, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

14:34 2:34 PM

16:34 4:34 PM

2 h ahead of Colton, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

51,427

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Colton, CA Austin, TX 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Colton, 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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Colton, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Colton, 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: $1,896 in Colton, CA versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,976 per month in Colton, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 49% less than in Colton, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

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.

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