Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Desamparados and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Desamparados: $1,689 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

82

Cost of Living Index in Desamparados
Learn more

Desamparados Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Desamparados

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,689

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,689 in Desamparados versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Desamparados $1,689
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,670 in Desamparados versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Desamparados $2,670
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,651 in Desamparados versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Desamparados $3,651
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Desamparados costs roughly 37% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Desamparados 25% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.26 ₡5,498

$20.77 $20.77

-40.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 ₡23.5K

$84.6 $84.6

-38.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.82 ₡5,303

$12.32 $12.32

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$4.69 ₡2,101

$5.63 $5.63

-16.70%

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

$2.39 ₡1,072

$3.72 $3.72

-35.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₡889

$2.50 $2.50

-20.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₡1,617

$8.05 $8.05

-55.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 ₡2,097

$9.01 $9.01

-48.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 ₡1,087

$1.12 $1.12

116.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 ₡1,217

$3.75 $3.75

-27.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ₡954

$3.26 $3.26

-34.66%

Eggs

$3.88 ₡1,740

$4.17 $4.17

-6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 ₡5,412

$12.90 $12.90

-6.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 ₡4,736

$14.16 $14.16

-25.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 ₡6,279

$16.22 $16.22

-13.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 ₡2,200

$4.33 $4.33

13.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₡785

$1.46 $1.46

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 ₡1,617

$4.51 $4.51

-19.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,454

$4.34 $4.34

-25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 ₡1,564

$2.58 $2.58

35.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 ₡1,493

$2.35 $2.35

41.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₡469

$1.78 $1.78

-41.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,283

$2.22 $2.22

28.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 ₡2,524

$9.88 $9.88

-43.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 ₡6,903

$15.08 $15.08

2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₡1,015

$2.92 $2.92

-22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₡1,273

$3.46 $3.46

-17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 ₡594

$1.49 $1.49

-11.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 ₡1,008

$2.73 $2.73

-17.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 ₡788

$1.66 $1.66

6.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 ₡3,337

$35.30 $35.30

-78.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡692

$0.95 $0.95

62.11%

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

$21.5K ₡9.6M

$36.0K $36.0K

-40.36%

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

$30.9K ₡13.9M

$27.1K $27.1K

14.16%

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

$97.5 ₡43.7K

$229 $229

-57.41%

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

$34.11 ₡15.3K

$59.4 $59.4

-42.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 ₡25.2K

$69.9 $69.9

-19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.1 ₡31.0K

$57.2 $57.2

20.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 ₡3,571

$14.28 $14.28

-44.26%

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

$919 ₡412.2K

$1,506 $1,506

-38.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ₡6.7M

$21.5K $21.5K

-30.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 ₡34.5K

$52.8 $52.8

45.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$43.82 $43.82

38.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₡59.5K

$84.8 $84.8

56.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ₡54.4K

$103 $103

17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ₡383.1K

$1,907 $1,907

-55.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 ₡275.0K

$1,274 $1,274

-51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 ₡927.3K

$3,664 $3,664

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 ₡557.3K

$2,538 $2,538

-51.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.79

26.95%

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

Last update for Desamparados: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Desamparados

$613 36.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 108% $661

Groceries & Markets

Desamparados

$375 22.2%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 7.8% $29

Eating Out

Desamparados

$235 13.9%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 50.8% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Desamparados

$188 11.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 90.7% $170

Clothing & Footwear

Desamparados

$176 10.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 27.4% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Desamparados

$85 5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 0.9% $0.8

Getting Around

Desamparados

$16 * 1%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 259% $42

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 $854 in Desamparados and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Desamparados vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $405 per month, with Desamparados cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Desamparados

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

06:28 6:28 AM

07:28 7:28 AM

1 h ahead of Desamparados

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,000

974,447

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Desamparados Austin, TX 2,670 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Desamparados
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

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

Desamparados wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Desamparados the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,533 in Desamparados and $3,995 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $854 in Desamparados versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $919 in Desamparados versus $1,506 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 Desamparados – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,689 in Desamparados versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Desamparados but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Desamparados the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Desamparados 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 Desamparados gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.