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: $2,636 in McKinney, TX versus $2,629 in Paso Robles, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,689 in McKinney, TX versus $4,179 in Paso Robles, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,743 in McKinney, TX versus $5,728 in Paso Robles, CA.

Monthly costs are close between McKinney, TX and Paso Robles, CA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: McKinney, TX 97% above, Paso Robles, CA 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.79 $16.79

$22.82 $22.82

-26.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$81.4 $81.4

-9.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 $9.23

$10.11 $10.11

-8.70%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$5.39 $5.39

-4.08%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.44 $2.44

7.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$7.13 $7.13

-14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$6.15 $6.15

31.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.41 $1.41

-22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.18 $2.18

25.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.15 $2.15

85.58%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$3.93 $3.93

30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$15.63 $15.63

-26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.10 $14.10

$5.62 $5.62

150.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$12.25 $12.25

32.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.99 $2.99

49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.69 $0.69

126.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.22 $2.22

84.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.22 $2.22

99.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.07 $1.07

234.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.09 $1.09

100.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.51 $2.51

-15.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.53 $1.53

98.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.51 $9.51

$14.08 $14.08

-32.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 $11.31

$14.70 $14.70

-23.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.07 $2.07

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.81 $2.81

5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$5.54 $5.54

-63.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 $68.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 $2.77

$5.81 $5.81

-52.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.96 $1.96

-35.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.49 $30.49

$50.7 $50.7

-39.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.30 $1.30

-37.69%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$35.3K $35.3K

-16.43%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-17.43%

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

$184 $184

$310 $310

-40.67%

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

$60.8 $60.8

$46.85 $46.85

29.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.1 $79.1

$66.2 $66.2

19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 $34.46

$52.0 $52.0

-33.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 $14.91

$12.01 $12.01

24.15%

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

$1,354 $1,354

$1,319 $1,319

2.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$23.3K $23.3K

-1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 $54.5

$51.0 $51.0

6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 $28.25

$34.27 $34.27

-17.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$81.4 $81.4

23.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$110 $110

1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,696 $1,696

$2,092 $2,092

-18.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$1,292 $1,292

6.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,253 $3,253

$3,493 $3,493

-6.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 $1,970

$2,801 $2,801

-29.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,289 $2,289

$6,444 $6,444

-64.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 $2,300

$6,294 $6,294

-63.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,640 $5,640

$3,012 $3,012

87.25%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Paso Robles, CA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,696 in McKinney, TX and $2,092 in Paso Robles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

McKinney, TX pays 87% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74.0 in McKinney, TX vs $81.0 in Paso Robles, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $290, 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 pays 87% more on average, 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: $1,696 in McKinney, TX versus $2,092 in Paso Robles, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,354 in McKinney, TX versus $1,319 in Paso Robles, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in McKinney, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Paso Robles, 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.

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.

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