Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Banos, CA and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Banos, CA and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,393 in Los Banos, CA versus $2,695 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,489 in Los Banos, CA versus $4,184 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in Los Banos, CA versus $5,674 in Austin, TX.

Living in Los Banos, CA costs roughly 11% less than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Los Banos, CA 74% above, Austin, TX 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$19.82 $19.82

-23.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 $112

$83.9 $83.9

32.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 $10.05

$12.30 $12.30

-18.29%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$5.48 $5.48

-6.93%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$3.72 $3.72

-33.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.36 $2.36

-13.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$7.76 $7.76

5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$9.14 $9.14

7.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.13 $1.13

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.75 $3.75

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.43 $3.43

-10.79%

Eggs

$1.65 $1.65

$4.35 $4.35

-62.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 $8.64

$13.14 $13.14

-34.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.68 $7.68

$14.39 $14.39

-46.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 $12.69

$17.20 $17.20

-26.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.49 $4.49

-26.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.44 $1.44

-9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$4.67 $4.67

-41.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$4.97 $4.97

-43.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.00 $3.00

-3.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.69 $2.69

-10.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.85 $1.85

-2.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.18 $2.18

14.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 $11.12

$9.45 $9.45

17.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.00 $14.00

$15.11 $15.11

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.89 $2.89

-41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 $1.30

$3.49 $3.49

-62.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.64 $1.64

23.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 $40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.81 $2.81

-4.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.58 $1.58

-6.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.57 $33.57

$35.18 $35.18

-4.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.90 $0.90

53.33%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

4.07%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.7K $27.7K

-4.41%

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

$224 $224

$222 $222

1.01%

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

$44.34 $44.34

$58.3 $58.3

-23.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 $56.5

$69.1 $69.1

-18.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.37 $41.37

$66.2 $66.2

-37.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 $14.76

Cinema Ticket

$15.08 $15.08

$13.78 $13.78

9.43%

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

$1,446 $1,446

$1,526 $1,526

-5.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.7K $42.7K

$21.2K $21.2K

101.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.88 $23.88

$54.6 $54.6

-56.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.97 $21.97

$44.01 $44.01

-50.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.1 $51.1

$89.7 $89.7

-43.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 $60.0

$109 $109

-44.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$1,942 $1,942

-17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 $1,315

$1,258 $1,258

4.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$3,762 $3,762

-41.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 $2,049

$2,592 $2,592

-20.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,746 $2,746

$7,403 $7,403

-62.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,394 $2,394

$3,203 $3,203

-25.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,509 $6,509

$5,085 $5,085

28.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.44

-1.24%

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

Last update for Los Banos, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,600 in Los Banos, CA and $1,942 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Banos, CA pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $112 in Los Banos, CA vs $84.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $303 vs $417, with Los Banos, CA 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

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

Los Banos, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Los Banos, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Los Banos, 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: $1,600 in Los Banos, CA versus $1,942 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,446 in Los Banos, CA versus $1,526 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 Los Banos, CA – a meal for two runs $112 versus $84.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Los Banos, 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 Los Banos, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.