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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Paso Robles, CA is roughly 2% more expensive than in McKinney, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.76 $22.76

$17.32 $17.32

31.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 $80.6

$73.7 $73.7

9.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 $10.09

$8.96 $8.96

12.61%

Cappuccino

$5.40 $5.40

$5.37 $5.37

0.56%

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

$2.41 $2.41

$2.62 $2.62

-8.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.91 $1.91

-23.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 $7.16

$6.10 $6.10

17.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$8.09 $8.09

-24.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.04 $1.04

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.85 $2.85

-20.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$4.07 $4.07

-47.17%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$5.11 $5.11

-20.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.47 $15.47

$11.66 $11.66

32.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$14.06 $14.06

-60.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 $11.91

$16.50 $16.50

-27.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$4.61 $4.61

-35.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.60 $1.60

-57.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$4.28 $4.28

-47.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$4.40 $4.40

-48.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$3.58 $3.58

-68.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.19 $2.19

-50.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.05 $2.05

20.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.93 $2.93

-49.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.83 $13.83

$9.48 $9.48

45.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 $14.55

$11.71 $11.71

24.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.92 $1.92

13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.97 $2.97

-5.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.03 $2.03

175.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 $68.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.81 $2.81

105.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.23 $1.23

59.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.5 $50.5

$29.46 $29.46

71.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$0.76 $0.76

72.37%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$30.2K $30.2K

21.07%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

19.04%

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

$317 $317

$188 $188

68.15%

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

$47.43 $47.43

$60.2 $60.2

-21.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$79.1 $79.1

-15.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 $52.4

$35.16 $35.16

49.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 $9.88

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 $12.09

$14.70 $14.70

-17.76%

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

$1,277 $1,277

$1,308 $1,308

-2.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$23.1K $23.1K

0.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$53.0 $53.0

-2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.94 $33.94

$28.28 $28.28

20.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 $80.3

$102 $102

-21.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$109 $109

4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 $2,081

$1,669 $1,669

24.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 $1,282

$1,413 $1,413

-9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,414 $3,414

$3,311 $3,311

3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,780 $2,780

$1,931 $1,931

44.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 $6,435

$2,340 $2,340

175.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,397 $6,397

$2,290 $2,290

179.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,996 $2,996

$5,825 $5,825

-48.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.49

2.16%

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

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

Last update for McKinney, TX: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,081 in Paso Robles, CA and $1,669 in McKinney, TX. 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: $81.0 in Paso Robles, CA vs $74.0 in McKinney, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $400, 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

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

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

On paper, salaries run 94% lower in McKinney, 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: $2,081 in Paso Robles, CA versus $1,669 in McKinney, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,277 in Paso Robles, CA versus $1,308 in McKinney, TX. 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, Paso Robles, CA and McKinney, 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 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.