Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $4,273 in Fremont, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

205

Cost of Living Index in Fremont, CA
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Fremont, CA Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Fremont, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,273

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,273 in Fremont, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Fremont, CA $4,273
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,632 in Fremont, CA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Fremont, CA $5,632
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,991 in Fremont, CA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Fremont, CA $6,991
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Fremont, CA is roughly 58% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fremont, CA 215% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$20.63 $20.63

-1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$84.6 $84.6

-11.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 $12.08

$12.07 $12.07

0.08%

Cappuccino

$5.46 $5.46

$5.48 $5.48

-0.36%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.80 $3.80

-28.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.47 $2.47

-4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.95 $8.95

$8.05 $8.05

11.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.88 $8.88

14.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.11 $1.11

45.05%

White Bread (500g)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.72 $3.72

22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.37 $3.37

23.15%

Eggs

$6.31 $6.31

$4.32 $4.32

46.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 $19.99

$13.13 $13.13

52.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.19 $14.19

$14.15 $14.15

0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.56 $17.56

$16.33 $16.33

7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.55 $4.55

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.46 $1.46

38.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.71 $4.71

17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.15 $4.15

29.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.58 $2.58

39.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.35 $2.35

28.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.77 $1.77

33.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.14 $2.14

18.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.77 $11.77

$10.10 $10.10

16.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 $15.57

$15.19 $15.19

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.82 $2.82

-24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.44 $3.44

-2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.54 $1.54

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 $85.0

$40.99 $40.99

107.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.80 $2.80

28.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.60 $1.60

89.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$34.34 $34.34

-12.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.94 $0.94

67.02%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$34.0K $34.0K

-8.11%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.30%

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

$368 $368

$223 $223

65.40%

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

$42.04 $42.04

$58.9 $58.9

-28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.5 $81.5

$70.6 $70.6

15.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.11 $36.11

$57.7 $57.7

-37.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 $8.36

$16.53 $16.53

-49.43%

Cinema Ticket

$16.48 $16.48

$14.26 $14.26

15.57%

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

$1,788 $1,788

$1,511 $1,511

18.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K $39.7K

$20.9K $20.9K

90.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$51.3 $51.3

14.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 $52.2

$44.17 $44.17

18.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$87.0 $87.0

7.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$104 $104

17.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 $2,872

$1,940 $1,940

48.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,622 $2,622

$1,316 $1,316

99.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,999 $3,999

$3,664 $3,664

9.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,568 $3,568

$2,565 $2,565

39.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,118 $6,118

$7,354 $7,354

-16.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,848 $4,848

$3,129 $3,129

54.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,604 $7,604

$5,286 $5,286

43.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.79

-4.12%

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

Last update for Fremont, CA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fremont, CA

$2.6K 61.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 49.8% $1.3K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fremont, CA

$492 11.5%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 28.4% $140

Groceries & Markets

Fremont, CA

$480 11.2%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 15.4% $74

Eating Out

Fremont, CA

$349 8.2%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 0.2% $0.8

Clothing & Footwear

Fremont, CA

$147 3.4%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 12% $18

Getting Around

Fremont, CA

$115 2.7%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 49.5% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Fremont, CA

$69 1.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 24.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,872 in Fremont, CA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fremont, CA pays 44% 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: $75.0 in Fremont, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $480 vs $406, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fremont, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

02:32 2:32 AM

04:32 4:32 AM

2 h ahead of Fremont, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

241,110

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Fremont, 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

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

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Fremont, 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 44% higher in Fremont, 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: $2,872 in Fremont, CA versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,273 per month in Fremont, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 107% less than in Fremont, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching 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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

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