Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Sebastian and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in San Sebastian: $1,948 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

San Sebastian
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,948
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,948 in San Sebastian versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • San Sebastian $1,948
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,889 in San Sebastian versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • San Sebastian $2,889
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,830 in San Sebastian versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • San Sebastian $3,830
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in San Sebastian costs roughly 27% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Sebastian 44% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.76 €14.90
$20.77 $20.77
-19.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.6 €53.9
$84.6 $84.6
-28.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.58 €9.41
$12.32 $12.32
-14.12%
Cappuccino
$2.08 €1.85
$5.63 $5.63
-63.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 €2.55
$3.72 $3.72
-22.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 €1.44
$2.50 $2.50
-35.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.06
$8.05 $8.05
-57.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 €3.22
$9.01 $9.01
-59.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.12 $1.12
0.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.06 €0.94
$3.75 $3.75
-71.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 €1.56
$3.26 $3.26
-46.32%
Eggs
$3.72 €3.31
$4.17 $4.17
-10.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.34 €19.87
$12.90 $12.90
73.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.17 €7.27
$14.16 $14.16
-42.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.10 €18.77
$16.22 $16.22
30.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$4.33 $4.33
-42.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.46 $1.46
61.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.34 €2.97
$4.51 $4.51
-25.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.90 €2.58
$4.34 $4.34
-33.18%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$2.58 $2.58
-20.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$2.35 $2.35
-15.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 €1.05
$1.78 $1.78
-33.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 €0.54
$2.22 $2.22
-72.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.07 €5.40
$9.88 $9.88
-38.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.39 €6.58
$15.08 $15.08
-50.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.92 $2.92
-63.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.63
$3.46 $3.46
-47.11%
🚌 Getting Around
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.49 $1.49
41.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.85 €30.11
$41.72 $41.72
-18.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.57 €5.85
$2.73 $2.73
140.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.91 €0.81
$1.66 $1.66
-45.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.70 €20.19
$35.30 $35.30
-35.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.51
$0.95 $0.95
78.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K €32.2K
$36.0K $36.0K
0.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.7K €25.5K
$27.1K $27.1K
6.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$136 €121
$229 $229
-40.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.40 €18.15
$59.4 $59.4
-65.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.36 €31.45
$69.9 $69.9
-49.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.41 €37.73
$57.2 $57.2
-25.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.95 €17.75
$16.33 $16.33
22.17%
Cinema Ticket
$8.44 €7.50
$14.28 $14.28
-40.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$453 €403
$1,506 $1,506
-69.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.7K €12.2K
$21.5K $21.5K
-35.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.5 €64.5
$52.8 $52.8
37.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.46 €27.99
$43.82 $43.82
-28.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.7 €66.5
$84.8 $84.8
-11.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 €119
$103 $103
29.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 €1,252
$1,907 $1,907
-26.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$954 €849
$1,274 $1,274
-25.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,239 €1,992
$3,664 $3,664
-38.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,354
$2,538 $2,538
-40.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,603 €8,541
$7,614 $7,614
26.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,748 €4,223
$3,157 $3,157
50.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Sebastian
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,027 €2,693
$5,121 $5,121
-40.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.92
6.79
-57.00%

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

Last update for San Sebastian: October 12, 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 Sebastian
$954
Austin, TX
$1.3K 33.5% $320
Groceries & Markets
San Sebastian
$316
Austin, TX
$405 28.2% $89
Eating Out
San Sebastian
$233
Austin, TX
$354 51.8% $121
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Sebastian
$192
Austin, TX
$358 86.5% $166
Clothing & Footwear
San Sebastian
$141
Austin, TX
$128 9% $13
Sport & Entertainment
San Sebastian
$59
Austin, TX
$86 44.7% $27
Getting Around
San Sebastian
$53
Austin, TX
$59 9.9% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,407 in San Sebastian and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in San Sebastian vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $405 per month, with San Sebastian cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 San Sebastian
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
19:44 7:44 PM
12:44 12:44 PM
7 h behind San Sebastian
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
188,743
974,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Sebastian Austin, TX 8,180 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • San Sebastian
  • 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 Sebastian vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, San Sebastian or Austin, TX?
San Sebastian wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Sebastian the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in San Sebastian or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 69% 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 San Sebastian compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,407 in San Sebastian 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 San Sebastian compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $1,948 per month in San Sebastian versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in San Sebastian compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in San Sebastian runs roughly 23% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in San Sebastian or in Austin, TX?
At $1,948 in San Sebastian versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Sebastian but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes San Sebastian the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, San Sebastian or Austin, TX?
Both work as nomad bases, but San Sebastian delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,948 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Sebastian hard to pass up.
How safe is San Sebastian compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, San Sebastian 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 San Sebastian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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