Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Laguna Niguel, CA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $4,258 in Laguna Niguel, CA, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

206

Cost of Living Index in Laguna Niguel, CA
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Laguna Niguel, CA Living Index
130

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

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Laguna Niguel, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,258

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,258 in Laguna Niguel, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Laguna Niguel, CA $4,258
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,464 in Laguna Niguel, CA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Laguna Niguel, CA $5,464
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,671 in Laguna Niguel, CA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Laguna Niguel, CA $6,671
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Laguna Niguel, CA is roughly 60% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Laguna Niguel, CA 215% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 $24.71

$20.77 $20.77

18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 $104

$84.6 $84.6

22.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.32 $12.32

10.80%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$5.63 $5.63

3.02%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$3.72 $3.72

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.50 $2.50

-21.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$8.05 $8.05

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.12 $10.12

$9.01 $9.01

12.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.12 $1.12

16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.75 $3.75

24.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.26 $3.26

45.71%

Eggs

$4.95 $4.95

$4.17 $4.17

18.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$12.90 $12.90

-1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.91 $15.91

$14.16 $14.16

12.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.72 $19.72

$16.22 $16.22

21.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$4.33 $4.33

30.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.46 $1.46

17.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.51 $4.51

3.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$4.34 $4.34

52.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.58 $2.58

30.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.35 $2.35

20.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.78 $1.78

33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.22 $2.22

-0.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.75 $11.75

$9.88 $9.88

18.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$15.08 $15.08

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.92 $2.92

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.46 $3.46

-22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 $64.1

$41.72 $41.72

53.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.73 $2.73

10.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.66 $1.66

9.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.31 $32.31

$35.30 $35.30

-8.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.95 $0.95

62.11%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

4.30%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-4.91%

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

$279 $279

$229 $229

22.03%

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

$70.7 $70.7

$59.4 $59.4

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.8 $79.8

$69.9 $69.9

14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.3 $94.3

$57.2 $57.2

64.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$16.35 $16.35

$14.28 $14.28

14.50%

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

$1,656 $1,656

$1,506 $1,506

9.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K $32.3K

$21.5K $21.5K

50.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 $74.3

$52.8 $52.8

40.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.82 $40.82

$43.82 $43.82

-6.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$84.8 $84.8

39.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$103 $103

66.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,927 $2,927

$1,907 $1,907

53.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,593 $2,593

$1,274 $1,274

103.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,575 $4,575

$3,664 $3,664

24.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,988 $2,988

$2,538 $2,538

17.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,014 $5,014

$5,121 $5,121

-2.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.79

-2.21%

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

Last update for Laguna Niguel, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Laguna Niguel, CA

$2.6K 60.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 50.9% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Laguna Niguel, CA

$462 10.8%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 12.3% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Laguna Niguel, CA

$430 10.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 16.7% $72

Eating Out

Laguna Niguel, CA

$388 9.1%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 8.7% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Laguna Niguel, CA

$182 4.3%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 29.8% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Laguna Niguel, CA

$127 3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 32.5% $41

Getting Around

Laguna Niguel, CA

$76 * 1.8%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 22.9% $17

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 $2,927 in Laguna Niguel, CA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $104 in Laguna Niguel, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $462 vs $405 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Laguna Niguel, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:08 8:08 AM

10:08 10:08 AM

2 h ahead of Laguna Niguel, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,771

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Laguna Niguel, CA Austin, TX 1,920 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Laguna Niguel, 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

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

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

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $2,927 in Laguna Niguel, CA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,258 per month in Laguna Niguel, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 54% less than in Laguna Niguel, 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 $2,663 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Laguna Niguel, 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 60% less than in Laguna Niguel, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.