Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,331 in Cupertino, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

162

Cost of Living Index in Cupertino, CA
Learn more

Cupertino, CA Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,331

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,331 in Cupertino, CA versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Cupertino, CA $3,331
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,299 in Cupertino, CA versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Cupertino, CA $5,299
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,267 in Cupertino, CA versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Cupertino, CA $7,267
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Cupertino, CA is roughly 28% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cupertino, CA 145% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.35 $20.35

20.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$84.7 $84.7

-40.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$12.12 $12.12

-17.74%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$5.65 $5.65

6.73%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$3.68 $3.68

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.36 $2.36

-7.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$7.87 $7.87

-13.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.82 $8.82

-11.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.14 $1.14

12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.69 $3.69

-7.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.31 $3.31

29.31%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$4.15 $4.15

22.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$12.98 $12.98

-47.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$13.86 $13.86

-5.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 $13.40

$16.34 $16.34

-17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.69 $4.69

-17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.45 $1.45

54.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$5.11 $5.11

-58.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.52 $4.52

-38.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.08 $3.08

-20.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.38 $2.38

27.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.80 $1.80

37.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.22 $2.22

-55.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.70 $11.70

$9.97 $9.97

17.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 $12.99

$15.05 $15.05

-13.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.91 $2.91

-34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.33 $3.33

-42.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.22 $1.22

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$40.53 $40.53

240.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.78 $2.78

53.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.65 $1.65

20.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.85 $29.85

$35.39 $35.39

-15.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.95 $0.95

54.74%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$34.2K $34.2K

-16.07%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

1.16%

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

$250 $250

$223 $223

12.24%

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

$61.2 $61.2

$58.5 $58.5

4.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$71.2 $71.2

-6.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.35 $35.35

$53.0 $53.0

-33.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 $15.74

$14.06 $14.06

11.95%

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

$2,120 $2,120

$1,459 $1,459

45.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$21.3K $21.3K

17.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 $57.4

$52.5 $52.5

9.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 $35.22

$42.75 $42.75

-17.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 $88.6

$86.4 $86.4

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 $58.6

$104 $104

-43.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$2,112 $2,112

22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 $1,906

$1,230 $1,230

54.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,018 $5,018

$3,863 $3,863

29.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,331 $4,331

$2,407 $2,407

79.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,384 $7,384

$5,179 $5,179

42.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.82

-4.25%

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

Last update for Cupertino, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cupertino, CA

$1.9K 57.2%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 35.4% $675

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cupertino, CA

$378 11.4%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 6.8% $26

Eating Out

Cupertino, CA

$367 11%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 5.2% $19

Groceries & Markets

Cupertino, CA

$340 10.2%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 20.4% $69

Getting Around

Cupertino, CA

$165 4.9%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 65.7% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Cupertino, CA

$108 3.2%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 19% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Cupertino, CA

$67 2%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 21.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,594 in Cupertino, CA and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cupertino, CA pays 43% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $50 in Cupertino, CA vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $410 per month, with Cupertino, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:43 1:43 PM

15:43 3:43 PM

2 h ahead of Cupertino, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,302

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cupertino, CA Austin, TX 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Cupertino, 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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Cupertino, 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 43% higher in Cupertino, 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: $2,594 in Cupertino, CA versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,331 per month in Cupertino, CA versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – Austin, TX is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 71% less than in Cupertino, CA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch 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, Cupertino, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.