Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Highland, CA and in Austin, TX: $2,680 and $2,698 a month, rent and utilities included.

134

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

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

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Highland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,680

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,680 in Highland, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Highland, CA $2,680
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,015 in Highland, CA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Highland, CA $4,015
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,349 in Highland, CA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Highland, CA $5,349
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Highland, CA costs roughly 1% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Highland, CA 98% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.04 $25.04

$20.63 $20.63

21.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 $78.1

$84.6 $84.6

-7.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.14 $15.14

$12.07 $12.07

25.43%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.48 $5.48

3.10%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.80 $3.80

-18.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.47 $2.47

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.19 $7.19

$8.05 $8.05

-10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.03 $10.03

$8.88 $8.88

12.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.11 $1.11

20.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.72 $3.72

26.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.37 $3.37

35.01%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$4.32 $4.32

22.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 $11.57

$13.13 $13.13

-11.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 $9.05

$14.15 $14.15

-36.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$16.33 $16.33

19.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.55 $4.55

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.46 $1.46

52.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.71 $4.71

-14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$4.15 $4.15

31.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.58 $2.58

31.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.35 $2.35

23.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.77 $1.77

9.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.14 $2.14

16.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.72 $11.72

$10.10 $10.10

16.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.19 $15.19

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.82 $2.82

-11.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.44 $3.44

-19.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.54 $1.54

31.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 $29.83

$40.99 $40.99

-27.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.80 $2.80

8.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.60 $1.60

18.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.72 $31.72

$34.34 $34.34

-7.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.94 $0.94

65.96%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$34.0K $34.0K

-16.43%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.92%

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

$221 $221

$223 $223

-0.64%

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

$77.6 $77.6

$58.9 $58.9

31.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 $78.7

$70.6 $70.6

11.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.95 $40.95

$57.7 $57.7

-29.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$18.20 $18.20

$14.26 $14.26

27.63%

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

$1,162 $1,162

$1,511 $1,511

-23.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K $31.8K

$20.9K $20.9K

52.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$51.3 $51.3

22.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 $47.18

$44.17 $44.17

6.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$87.0 $87.0

22.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

-0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$1,940 $1,940

-23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 $1,219

$1,316 $1,316

-7.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,331 $2,331

$3,664 $3,664

-36.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 $2,167

$2,565 $2,565

-15.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,106 $3,106

$7,354 $7,354

-57.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,390 $2,390

$3,129 $3,129

-23.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.79

-7.07%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Highland, CA

$1.2K 45.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 8% $97

Groceries & Markets

Highland, CA

$420 15.7%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 3.3% $14

Eating Out

Highland, CA

$392 14.6%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 10.6% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Highland, CA

$377 14.1%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 6.7% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Highland, CA

$144 5.4%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 10.6% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Highland, CA

$77 2.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 11.5% $8.9

Getting Around

Highland, CA

$50 1.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 14.9% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Highland, CA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Highland, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $420 vs $406, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Highland, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

10:58 10:58 AM

12:58 12:58 PM

2 h ahead of Highland, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

51,550

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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Highest

Between locations

Highland, CA Austin, TX 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Highland, 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

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

Highland, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Highland, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,021 in Highland, CA and $4,046 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: $1,489 in Highland, 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 $2,680 per month in Highland, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Highland, CA runs roughly 37% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Highland, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Highland, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.