Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Bernardino, CA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $2,856 in San Bernardino, CA, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in San Bernardino, CA
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San Bernardino, CA Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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San Bernardino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,856

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Bernardino, 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 San Bernardino, CA and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,856 in San Bernardino, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

San Bernardino, CA $2,856
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,354 in San Bernardino, CA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

San Bernardino, CA $4,354
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,853 in San Bernardino, CA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

San Bernardino, CA $5,853
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in San Bernardino, CA is roughly 7% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Bernardino, CA 112% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 $20.02

$20.77 $20.77

-3.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$84.6 $84.6

-9.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 $16.54

$12.32 $12.32

34.25%

Cappuccino

$5.87 $5.87

$5.63 $5.63

4.26%

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

$3.54 $3.54

$3.72 $3.72

-4.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.50 $2.50

-6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 $7.30

$8.05 $8.05

-9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.38 $9.38

$9.01 $9.01

4.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.12 $1.12

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.75 $3.75

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.26 $3.26

43.87%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$4.17 $4.17

12.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 $12.99

$12.90 $12.90

0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$14.16 $14.16

-38.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$16.22 $16.22

-5.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$4.33 $4.33

7.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.46 $1.46

22.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$4.51 $4.51

-10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.34 $4.34

30.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.58 $2.58

39.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.35 $2.35

-5.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.78 $1.78

11.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.22 $2.22

-16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$9.88 $9.88

18.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.74 $14.74

$15.08 $15.08

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.92 $2.92

-27.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.46 $3.46

24.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.49 $1.49

38.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$41.72 $41.72

42.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.83 $9.83

$2.73 $2.73

260.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.95 $0.95

54.74%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$36.0K $36.0K

1.21%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-5.10%

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

$216 $216

$229 $229

-5.82%

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

$66.6 $66.6

$59.4 $59.4

12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$69.9 $69.9

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 $39.64

$57.2 $57.2

-30.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$15.33 $15.33

$14.28 $14.28

7.35%

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

$1,143 $1,143

$1,506 $1,506

-24.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K $17.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

-18.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$52.8 $52.8

18.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.37 $47.37

$43.82 $43.82

8.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$84.8 $84.8

24.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$103 $103

41.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 $1,775

$1,907 $1,907

-6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 $1,442

$1,274 $1,274

13.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$3,664 $3,664

-31.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,783 $2,783

$2,538 $2,538

9.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,608 $3,608

$7,614 $7,614

-52.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,635 $3,635

$3,157 $3,157

15.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,468 $3,468

$5,121 $5,121

-32.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.79

-5.89%

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

Last update for San Bernardino, 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

San Bernardino, CA

$1.4K 50.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 11.6% $168

Groceries & Markets

San Bernardino, CA

$389 13.6%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 4% $16

Eating Out

San Bernardino, CA

$359 12.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 1.5% $5.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Bernardino, CA

$356 12.5%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 0.7% $2.6

Clothing & Footwear

San Bernardino, CA

$162 5.7%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 21.2% $34

Getting Around

San Bernardino, CA

$78 * 2.7%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 24.3% $19

Sport & Entertainment

San Bernardino, CA

$70 2.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 22.1% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,775 in San Bernardino, CA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 48% 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 San Bernardino, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $405 per month, with San Bernardino, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Bernardino, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

10:17 10:17 AM

12:17 12:17 PM

2 h ahead of San Bernardino, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

220,000

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

San Bernardino, CA Austin, TX 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Bernardino, 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

San Bernardino, CA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in San Bernardino, 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, salaries run 48% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,775 in San Bernardino, CA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,856 per month in San Bernardino, CA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 43% less than in San Bernardino, 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 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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in San Bernardino, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.