Cost of Living Comparison Between La Quinta, CA and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between La Quinta, CA and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in La Quinta, CA versus $2,646 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,937 in La Quinta, CA versus $4,220 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,217 in La Quinta, CA versus $5,794 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs are close between La Quinta, CA and Austin, TX; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: La Quinta, CA 93% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.89 $19.89

$19.88 $19.88

0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$84.0 $84.0

-6.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 $10.15

$12.27 $12.27

-17.28%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$5.63 $5.63

5.51%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$3.59 $3.59

-43.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.38 $2.38

-16.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$7.83 $7.83

-8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.20 $10.20

$9.10 $9.10

12.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.14 $1.14

7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.64 $3.64

18.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.31 $3.31

47.13%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$4.44 $4.44

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.01 $13.01

17.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$14.69 $14.69

-8.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 $20.07

$17.42 $17.42

15.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.61 $4.61

3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.45 $1.45

32.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.76 $4.76

-4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.95 $4.95

1.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.01 $3.01

11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.74 $2.74

-5.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.95 $1.95

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.20 $2.20

-15.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.58 $11.58

$9.26 $9.26

25.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.20 $16.20

$14.90 $14.90

8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.87 $2.87

-24.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.59 $3.59

-12.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.65 $1.65

17.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 $41.90

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.82 $2.82

3.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.59 $1.59

31.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.52 $27.52

$34.68 $34.68

-20.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.95 $0.95

53.68%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.7K $35.7K

1.83%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

-4.43%

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

$251 $251

$229 $229

9.45%

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

$73.2 $73.2

$58.6 $58.6

25.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.7 $84.7

$69.3 $69.3

22.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.47 $36.47

$65.8 $65.8

-44.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 $14.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$13.86 $13.86

6.78%

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

$805 $805

$1,501 $1,501

-46.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.8K $36.8K

$20.9K $20.9K

75.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$53.7 $53.7

-6.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.16 $29.16

$44.41 $44.41

-34.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.4 $57.4

$90.8 $90.8

-36.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$108 $108

-4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 $1,407

$1,931 $1,931

-27.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 $1,426

$1,265 $1,265

12.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,540 $2,540

$3,776 $3,776

-32.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 $1,991

$2,595 $2,595

-23.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,655 $2,655

$7,340 $7,340

-63.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,312 $2,312

$3,231 $3,231

-28.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,039 $5,039

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.44

-1.09%

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

Last update for La Quinta, CA: September 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,407 in La Quinta, CA and $1,931 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in La Quinta, CA vs $84.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $440 vs $419, with Austin, TX 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

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

You'd need roughly $3,987 in La Quinta, CA and $3,969 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: $1,407 in La Quinta, CA versus $1,931 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in La Quinta, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $79.0 in La Quinta, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 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, La Quinta, 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.

It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, La Quinta, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.