Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,758 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $2,706 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,210 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $4,169 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,662 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $5,633 in Austin, TX.

Living in Costa Mesa, CA is roughly 39% more expensive than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Costa Mesa, CA 181% above, Austin, TX 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.24 $20.24

$19.70 $19.70

2.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$76.0 $76.0

5.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$9.86 $9.86

22.72%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$5.48 $5.48

-7.48%

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

$3.35 $3.35

$2.65 $2.65

26.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.09 $2.09

6.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$6.09 $6.09

17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$8.15 $8.15

0.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.10 $1.10

5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.39 $3.39

19.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.38 $3.38

29.29%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$4.39 $4.39

13.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$12.10 $12.10

-11.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 $8.50

$10.84 $10.84

-21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 $14.79

$14.68 $14.68

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.96 $4.96

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.51 $1.51

25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.40 $4.40

-1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.10 $4.10

34.39%

Potato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.81 $2.81

60.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.87 $2.87

1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.95 $1.95

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.18 $2.18

-0.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 $11.20

$8.99 $8.99

24.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$15.11 $15.11

-1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.33 $2.33

-17.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.43 $3.43

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.54 $1.54

26.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.15 $44.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 $6.45

$4.41 $4.41

46.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.83 $1.83

53.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.71 $29.71

$34.65 $34.65

-14.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.78 $0.78

64.10%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$26.0K $26.0K

-6.86%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

-6.23%

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

$284 $284

$175 $175

62.86%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$59.7 $59.7

-13.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$65.5 $65.5

-7.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.41 $40.41

$61.3 $61.3

-34.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.89 $9.89

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$14.76 $14.76

3.52%

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

$1,196 $1,196

$1,372 $1,372

-12.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$22.2K $22.2K

5.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$56.5 $56.5

-3.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.74 $34.74

$45.29 $45.29

-23.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$85.0 $85.0

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$118 $118

-12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 $2,781

$2,201 $2,201

26.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 $2,465

$1,403 $1,403

75.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,948 $3,948

$3,815 $3,815

3.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,867 $3,867

$2,680 $2,680

44.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,133 $7,133

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,078 $3,078

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,283 $6,283

$5,110 $5,110

22.96%

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 Costa Mesa, CA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,781 in Costa Mesa, CA and $2,201 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Costa Mesa, CA pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $80.0 in Costa Mesa, CA vs $76.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $379 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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Costa Mesa, 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 23% higher in Costa Mesa, 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: $2,781 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $2,201 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,196 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $1,372 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 Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $80.0 in Costa Mesa, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,706 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Costa Mesa, 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Costa Mesa, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.