Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Springs, CA and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Springs, CA and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,962 in Palm Springs, CA versus $2,659 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,679 in Palm Springs, CA versus $4,101 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,396 in Palm Springs, CA versus $5,542 in Austin, TX.

Living in Palm Springs, CA is roughly 11% more expensive than Austin, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palm Springs, CA 121% above, Austin, TX 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.78 $29.78

$19.63 $19.63

51.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$75.1 $75.1

33.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$9.92 $9.92

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$5.67 $5.67

-2.47%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$2.77 $2.77

-12.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.17 $2.17

-36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$5.84 $5.84

-13.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 $7.43

$7.77 $7.77

-4.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.09 $1.09

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.41 $3.41

41.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.43 $3.43

-14.87%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.39 $4.39

15.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.30 $14.30

$11.95 $11.95

19.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$10.76 $10.76

38.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.43 $11.43

$14.29 $14.29

-20.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$4.84 $4.84

24.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.55 $1.55

54.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$4.46 $4.46

17.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.91 $3.91

12.02%

Potato (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.74 $2.74

54.74%

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.74 $2.74

58.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.04 $2.04

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.25 $2.25

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.93 $8.93

66.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 $13.69

$14.85 $14.85

-7.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.35 $2.35

-31.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.57 $3.57

-35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.47 $1.47

35.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.96 $33.96

$42.98 $42.98

-20.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.28 $4.28

-28.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.84 $1.84

-22.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.14 $37.14

$35.54 $35.54

4.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.72 $0.72

70.83%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$25.7K $25.7K

16.08%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

3.64%

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

$256 $256

$174 $174

47.45%

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

$81.1 $81.1

$60.2 $60.2

34.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 $79.0

$66.3 $66.3

19.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.83 $26.83

$62.8 $62.8

-57.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.44 $49.44

$9.83 $9.83

402.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 $11.79

$15.24 $15.24

-22.64%

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

$1,288 $1,288

$1,387 $1,387

-7.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$22.2K $22.2K

7.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.94 $34.94

$56.7 $56.7

-38.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 $32.18

$45.34 $45.34

-29.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 $73.8

$86.5 $86.5

-14.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$119 $119

24.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 $1,899

$2,247 $2,247

-15.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 $1,467

$1,430 $1,430

2.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 $4,005

$3,778 $3,778

6.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,992 $2,992

$2,641 $2,641

13.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,062 $5,062

$7,044 $7,044

-28.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,352 $3,352

$3,162 $3,162

6.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,454 $4,454

$5,108 $5,108

-12.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.45

2.17%

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

Last update for Palm Springs, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,899 in Palm Springs, CA and $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Palm Springs, CA vs $75.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $377 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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

Palm Springs, CA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Palm Springs, 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, Austin, TX earns 15% less. 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: $1,899 in Palm Springs, CA versus $2,247 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,962 per month in Palm Springs, CA versus $2,659 in Austin, TX – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 27% less than in Palm Springs, 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 $2,659 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Palm Springs, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.