Cost of Living Comparison Between Encinitas, CA and Modena Cost of Living Comparison Between Encinitas, CA and Modena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,217 in Encinitas, CA versus $2,011 in Modena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,036 in Encinitas, CA versus $3,161 in Modena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,855 in Encinitas, CA versus $4,312 in Modena.

Living in Encinitas, CA is roughly 60% more expensive than Modena, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Encinitas, CA 140% above, Modena 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.36 $17.36

$22.74 €19.56

-23.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 $85.3

$81.6 €70.2

4.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 $11.94

$11.45 €9.85

4.28%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$2.03 €1.74

138.92%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$3.03 €2.61

-32.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.34 €1.16

-27.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 $7.04

$5.76 €4.95

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$5.62 €4.84

26.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.40 €1.20

-23.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.85 €2.45

38.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.53 €2.18

62.45%

Eggs

$7.02 $7.02

$4.61 €3.97

52.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$20.36 €17.51

-48.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.97 $8.97

$15.29 €13.15

-41.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 $14.33

$22.81 €19.62

-37.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.74 €2.36

24.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.68 €2.31

-29.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.61 €3.10

11.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$4.01 €3.45

36.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.81 €2.41

59.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.77 €1.53

83.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.56 €1.34

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.57 €0.49

268.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 $11.05

$6.90 €5.93

60.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$9.42 €8.11

59.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.71 €1.47

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 $5.57

$2.63 €2.26

111.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.36 €2.03

7.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 $72.8

$36.32 €31.24

100.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.82 $9.82

$6.67 €5.74

47.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.12 €0.96

47.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 $28.62

$33.76 €29.04

-15.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.03 €1.75

-39.41%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$28.1K €24.2K

-15.10%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$37.3K €32.0K

-36.23%

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

$101 $101

$270 €232

-62.46%

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

$45.94 $45.94

$13.04 €11.21

252.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$30.48 €26.22

94.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.49 $30.49

$67.7 €58.2

-54.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 $19.96

$23.13 €19.90

-13.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.02 $14.02

$10.95 €9.42

28.04%

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

$1,226 $1,226

$695 €597

76.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$11.1K €9,525

110.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$101 €86.9

-43.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.38 $34.38

$42.17 €36.28

-18.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 $81.3

$102 €88.1

-20.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 $86.3

$131 €112

-33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,246 $3,246

$878 €755

269.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 $1,965

$686 €590

186.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,638 $4,638

$1,638 €1,409

183.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,989 $3,989

$1,281 €1,102

211.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K $10.4K

$3,748 €3,224

176.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,741 $6,741

$2,241 €1,927

200.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,204 $7,204

$2,194 €1,887

228.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

4.24

55.19%

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

Last update for Encinitas, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Modena: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,246 in Encinitas, CA and $878 in Modena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Encinitas, CA pays 228% 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: $85.0 in Encinitas, CA vs $82.0 in Modena. Groceries flip the comparison at $391 vs $399, with Encinitas, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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

Encinitas, CA vs Modena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Modena wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Encinitas, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Modena the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Encinitas, CA pays 228% more on average, 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: $3,246 in Encinitas, CA versus $878 in Modena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Modena – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $85.0 in Encinitas, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,217 per month in Encinitas, CA versus $2,011 in Modena – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,011 in Modena versus $3,217 in Encinitas, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Modena but tight or insufficient in Encinitas, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Modena 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, Encinitas, CA and Modena 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 Modena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Encinitas, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.