Cost of Living Comparison Between McKinney, TX and Paso Robles, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between McKinney, TX and Paso Robles, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,598 in McKinney, TX versus $2,662 in Paso Robles, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,633 in McKinney, TX versus $4,174 in Paso Robles, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,669 in McKinney, TX versus $5,685 in Paso Robles, CA.

Living in McKinney, TX costs roughly 2% less than in Paso Robles, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: McKinney, TX 94% above, Paso Robles, CA 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.32 $17.32

$22.76 $22.76

-23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$80.6 $80.6

-8.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 $8.96

$10.09 $10.09

-11.20%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$5.40 $5.40

-0.56%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.41 $2.41

8.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.46 $1.46

30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$7.16 $7.16

-14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$6.11 $6.11

32.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.38 $1.38

-24.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.26 $2.26

26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.15 $2.15

89.30%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$4.07 $4.07

25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 $11.66

$15.47 $15.47

-24.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.06 $14.06

$5.61 $5.61

150.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.50 $16.50

$11.91 $11.91

38.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.98 $2.98

54.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.68 $0.68

135.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.23 $2.23

91.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.25 $2.25

95.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.11 $1.11

222.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.08 $1.08

102.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.47 $2.47

-17.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.48 $1.48

97.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.48 $9.48

$13.83 $13.83

-31.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 $11.71

$14.55 $14.55

-19.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.17 $2.17

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.80 $2.80

6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$5.60 $5.60

-63.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 $68.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.77 $5.77

-51.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.96 $1.96

-37.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$50.5 $50.5

-41.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.31 $1.31

-41.98%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$36.6K $36.6K

-17.41%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$31.0K $31.0K

-15.99%

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

$188 $188

$317 $317

-40.53%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$47.43 $47.43

26.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.1 $79.1

$67.1 $67.1

18.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.16 $35.16

$52.4 $52.4

-32.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 $9.88

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$12.09 $12.09

21.59%

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

$1,308 $1,308

$1,277 $1,277

2.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$23.2K $23.2K

-0.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$51.5 $51.5

2.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.28 $28.28

$33.94 $33.94

-16.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$80.3 $80.3

26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$113 $113

-3.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 $1,669

$2,081 $2,081

-19.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 $1,413

$1,282 $1,282

10.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,311 $3,311

$3,414 $3,414

-3.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$2,780 $2,780

-30.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 $2,340

$6,435 $6,435

-63.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 $2,290

$6,397 $6,397

-64.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,825 $5,825

$2,996 $2,996

94.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.63

-2.11%

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

Last update for McKinney, TX: July 13, 2026

Last update for Paso Robles, CA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,669 in McKinney, TX and $2,081 in Paso Robles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

McKinney, TX pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in McKinney, TX vs $81.0 in Paso Robles, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $289, with Paso Robles, 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

McKinney, TX vs Paso Robles, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

McKinney, TX and Paso Robles, CA differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,598 vs $2,662 including rent). McKinney, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 94% higher in McKinney, TX, 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: $1,669 in McKinney, TX versus $2,081 in Paso Robles, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,308 in McKinney, TX versus $1,277 in Paso Robles, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in McKinney, TX – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $81.0 in Paso Robles, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. McKinney, 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, McKinney, TX and Paso Robles, CA 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 McKinney, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Paso Robles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.