Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Redlands, CA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,621 in Redlands, CA, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Redlands, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,621
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Redlands, CA and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Redlands, CA and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,621 in Redlands, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Redlands, CA $3,621
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,009 in Redlands, CA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Redlands, CA $5,009
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,397 in Redlands, CA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Redlands, CA $6,397
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Redlands, CA is roughly 36% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redlands, CA 168% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.97 $24.97
$20.77 $20.77
20.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.4 $76.4
$84.6 $84.6
-9.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.32 $16.32
$12.32 $12.32
32.47%
Cappuccino
$6.12 $6.12
$5.63 $5.63
8.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 $3.04
$3.72 $3.72
-18.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 $2.40
$2.50 $2.50
-4.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.95 $7.95
$8.05 $8.05
-1.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.15 $10.15
$9.01 $9.01
12.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 $1.35
$1.12 $1.12
20.54%
White Bread (500g)
$4.74 $4.74
$3.75 $3.75
26.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.74 $4.74
$3.26 $3.26
45.40%
Eggs
$5.64 $5.64
$4.17 $4.17
35.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.40 $13.40
$12.90 $12.90
3.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.03 $11.03
$14.16 $14.16
-22.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.78 $19.78
$16.22 $16.22
21.95%
Apples (1kg)
$5.07 $5.07
$4.33 $4.33
17.09%
Banana (1kg)
$2.42 $2.42
$1.46 $1.46
65.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.90 $4.90
$4.51 $4.51
8.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.45 $5.45
$4.34 $4.34
25.58%
Potato (1kg)
$3.43 $3.43
$2.58 $2.58
32.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.99 $2.99
$2.35 $2.35
27.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.78 $1.78
15.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.85 $2.85
$2.22 $2.22
28.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.68 $11.68
$9.88 $9.88
18.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.92 $14.92
$15.08 $15.08
-1.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 $2.42
$2.92 $2.92
-17.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 $4.94
$3.46 $3.46
42.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.49 $1.49
35.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.71 $34.71
$41.72 $41.72
-16.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 $3.12
$2.73 $2.73
14.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.66 $1.66
8.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.29 $32.29
$35.30 $35.30
-8.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 $1.50
$0.95 $0.95
57.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.3K $36.3K
$36.0K $36.0K
0.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$27.1K $27.1K
-4.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$277 $277
$229 $229
21.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$80.9 $80.9
$59.4 $59.4
36.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$79.8 $79.8
$69.9 $69.9
14.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.19 $25.19
$57.2 $57.2
-55.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.33 $16.33
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.98 $19.98
$14.28 $14.28
39.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,188 $1,188
$1,506 $1,506
-21.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.1K $32.1K
$21.5K $21.5K
49.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.5 $62.5
$52.8 $52.8
18.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6 $50.6
$43.82 $43.82
15.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 $105
$84.8 $84.8
24.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$103 $103
2.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,937 $1,937
$1,907 $1,907
1.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,059 $2,059
$1,274 $1,274
61.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,465 $3,465
$3,664 $3,664
-5.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,070 $3,070
$2,538 $2,538
20.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,057 $4,057
$7,614 $7,614
-46.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,156 $4,156
$3,157 $3,157
31.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Redlands, CA
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,746 $4,746
$5,121 $5,121
-7.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.86
6.79
1.03%

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

Last update for Redlands, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Redlands, CA
$2.1K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 38.1% $785
Groceries & Markets
Redlands, CA
$454
Austin, TX
$405 10.9% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Redlands, CA
$438
Austin, TX
$358 18.2% $80
Eating Out
Redlands, CA
$404
Austin, TX
$354 12.4% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Redlands, CA
$146
Austin, TX
$128 12.2% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Redlands, CA
$65
Austin, TX
$86 31.7% $21
Getting Around
Redlands, CA
$55
Austin, TX
$59 6.9% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,937 in Redlands, CA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Redlands, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $454 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Redlands, CA
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
18:04 6:04 PM
20:04 8:04 PM
2 h ahead of Redlands, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
68,747
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Redlands, CA Austin, TX 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Redlands, CA
  • Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Redlands, CA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Redlands, CA or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Redlands, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Redlands, CA or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Redlands, CA compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,937 in Redlands, CA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Redlands, CA compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $3,621 per month in Redlands, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Redlands, CA compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 20% less than in Redlands, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Redlands, CA or in Austin, TX?
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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Redlands, CA or Austin, TX?
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.
How safe is Redlands, CA compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Redlands, CA and Austin, 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Redlands, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Redlands, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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