Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Escazu and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Escazu: $1,933 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Escazu
Learn more

Escazu Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Escazu

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,933

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,933 in Escazu versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Escazu $1,933
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,966 in Escazu versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Escazu $2,966
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,999 in Escazu versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Escazu $3,999
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Escazu costs roughly 27% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Escazu 43% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 ₡5,486

$20.77 $20.77

-41.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 ₡27.9K

$84.6 $84.6

-26.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 ₡5,146

$12.32 $12.32

-6.82%

Cappuccino

$4.56 ₡2,045

$5.63 $5.63

-19.01%

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

$2.72 ₡1,218

$3.72 $3.72

-26.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₡828

$2.50 $2.50

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 ₡1,505

$8.05 $8.05

-58.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,006

$9.01 $9.01

-50.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 ₡1,040

$1.12 $1.12

107.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,397

$3.75 $3.75

-16.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ₡1,117

$3.26 $3.26

-23.62%

Eggs

$3.59 ₡1,611

$4.17 $4.17

-13.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,757

$12.90 $12.90

-17.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 ₡4,581

$14.16 $14.16

-27.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 ₡6,252

$16.22 $16.22

-14.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 ₡2,301

$4.33 $4.33

18.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₡726

$1.46 $1.46

10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 ₡1,416

$4.51 $4.51

-29.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 ₡1,378

$4.34 $4.34

-29.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 ₡1,698

$2.58 $2.58

46.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,674

$2.35 $2.35

58.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₡465

$1.78 $1.78

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₡762

$2.22 $2.22

-23.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 ₡2,479

$9.88 $9.88

-44.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ₡8,249

$15.08 $15.08

21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₡745

$2.92 $2.92

-43.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,202

$3.46 $3.46

-22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₡491

$1.49 $1.49

-26.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ₡923

$2.73 $2.73

-24.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡704

$1.66 $1.66

-5.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₡3,927

$35.30 $35.30

-75.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₡664

$0.95 $0.95

55.79%

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

$22.4K ₡10.1M

$36.0K $36.0K

-37.81%

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

$35.2K ₡15.8M

$27.1K $27.1K

29.96%

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

$94.6 ₡42.4K

$229 $229

-58.71%

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

$29.81 ₡13.4K

$59.4 $59.4

-49.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 ₡27.0K

$69.9 $69.9

-14.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 ₡48.6K

$57.2 $57.2

89.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 ₡4,550

$16.33 $16.33

-37.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ₡3,502

$14.28 $14.28

-45.31%

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

$457 ₡204.9K

$1,506 $1,506

-69.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

$21.5K $21.5K

-21.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 ₡31.9K

$52.8 $52.8

34.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 ₡25.0K

$43.82 $43.82

27.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.6K

$84.8 $84.8

54.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.4K

$103 $103

26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 ₡373.9K

$1,907 $1,907

-56.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₡378.8K

$1,274 $1,274

-33.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 ₡879.3K

$3,664 $3,664

-46.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 ₡676.4K

$2,538 $2,538

-40.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,407 ₡630.8K

$7,614 $7,614

-81.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$972 ₡435.7K

$3,157 $3,157

-69.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,746 ₡782.8K

$5,121 $5,121

-65.91%

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 Escazu: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Escazu

$845 43.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 50.8% $429

Groceries & Markets

Escazu

$361 18.7%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 12.2% $44

Eating Out

Escazu

$231 12%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 53.2% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Escazu

$184 9.5%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 94.2% $174

Clothing & Footwear

Escazu

$174 9%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 26.6% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Escazu

$124 6.4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 30.8% $38

Getting Around

Escazu

$14 * 0.7%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 311% $44

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 $834 in Escazu and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 193% 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: $62.0 in Escazu vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $405 per month, with Escazu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Escazu

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

07:18 7:18 AM

08:18 8:18 AM

1 h ahead of Escazu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,984

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

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

From you

Escazu
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

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

Escazu wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Escazu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 193% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $834 in Escazu versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Escazu 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 Escazu – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,933 in Escazu versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Escazu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Escazu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Escazu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,933 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Escazu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Escazu 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 Escazu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.