Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Medano and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in El Medano: $1,447 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

El Medano
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,447
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in El Medano versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • El Medano $1,447
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,394 in El Medano versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • El Medano $2,394
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,342 in El Medano versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • El Medano $3,342
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in El Medano costs roughly 46% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: El Medano 7% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.37 €18.12
$20.77 $20.77
-1.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €54.9
$84.6 $84.6
-27.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.38 €10.13
$12.32 $12.32
-7.63%
Cappuccino
$1.99 €1.77
$5.63 $5.63
-64.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 €1.69
$3.72 $3.72
-48.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.16
$2.50 $2.50
-48.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.76 €2.45
$8.05 $8.05
-65.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 €2.91
$9.01 $9.01
-63.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.12 $1.12
17.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.14
$3.75 $3.75
-35.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 €1.41
$3.26 $3.26
-51.23%
Eggs
$4.18 €3.72
$4.17 $4.17
0.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.57 €12.96
$12.90 $12.90
12.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 €8.23
$14.16 $14.16
-34.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.98 €15.99
$16.22 $16.22
10.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.48 €2.21
$4.33 $4.33
-42.73%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.46 $1.46
56.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 €2.00
$4.51 $4.51
-50.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.53 €2.25
$4.34 $4.34
-41.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.58 $2.58
-18.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.93 €1.72
$2.35 $2.35
-17.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.64 €1.46
$1.78 $1.78
-7.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 €0.87
$2.22 $2.22
-55.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.52 €4.91
$9.88 $9.88
-44.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.73 €6.88
$15.08 $15.08
-48.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$2.92 $2.92
-42.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.46 $3.46
-60.12%
🚌 Getting Around
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.67 €1.49
$1.49 $1.49
12.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.49 €22.67
$41.72 $41.72
-38.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.08 €3.63
$2.73 $2.73
49.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.66 $1.66
4.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.58 €14.75
$35.30 $35.30
-53.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$0.95 $0.95
31.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K €24.1K
$36.0K $36.0K
-24.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.8K €25.7K
$27.1K $27.1K
6.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$98.8 €87.9
$229 $229
-56.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.46 €19.98
$59.4 $59.4
-62.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.17 €31.28
$69.9 $69.9
-49.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.58 €39.66
$57.2 $57.2
-22.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.75 €14.01
$16.33 $16.33
-3.55%
Cinema Ticket
$9.90 €8.81
$14.28 $14.28
-30.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$407 €362
$1,506 $1,506
-73.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,118 €4,553
$21.5K $21.5K
-76.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.2 €82.0
$52.8 $52.8
74.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.86 €37.24
$43.82 $43.82
-4.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.2 €80.3
$84.8 $84.8
6.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 €102
$103 $103
11.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$895 €796
$1,907 $1,907
-53.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 €416
$1,274 $1,274
-63.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,354 €1,205
$3,664 $3,664
-63.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,027 €913
$2,538 $2,538
-59.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,258 €2,898
$7,614 $7,614
-57.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,228 €1,982
$3,157 $3,157
-29.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Medano
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$5,121 $5,121
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.56
6.79
-47.57%

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

Last update for El Medano: 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
El Medano
$468
Austin, TX
$1.3K 172% $806
Groceries & Markets
El Medano
$307
Austin, TX
$405 31.8% $98
Eating Out
El Medano
$254
Austin, TX
$354 39.2% $100
Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Medano
$156
Austin, TX
$358 129% $202
Clothing & Footwear
El Medano
$152
Austin, TX
$128 16% $24
Sport & Entertainment
El Medano
$64
Austin, TX
$86 33.3% $21
Getting Around
El Medano
$45
Austin, TX
$59 30.7% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in El Medano and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in El Medano vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $405 per month, with El Medano cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 El Medano
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
02:30 2:30 AM
20:30 8:30 PM
6 h behind El Medano
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,500
974,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • El Medano Austin, TX 7,710 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • El Medano
  • 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
El Medano vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, El Medano or Austin, TX?
El Medano wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making El Medano the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in El Medano and in Austin, TX?
You'd need roughly $2,171 in El Medano 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in El Medano compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $895 in El Medano versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in El Medano compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in El Medano versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in El Medano compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in El Medano runs roughly 64% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in El Medano or in Austin, TX?
At $1,447 in El Medano versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in El Medano but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes El Medano the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: El Medano or Austin, TX?
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.
How safe is El Medano compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, El Medano 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 El Medano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

El Medano vs other spots: cost of living compared

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