Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana, CA and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana, CA and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,506 in Santa Ana, CA versus $2,695 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,139 in Santa Ana, CA versus $4,184 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,772 in Santa Ana, CA versus $5,674 in Austin, TX.

Living in Santa Ana, CA is roughly 30% more expensive than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Ana, CA 155% above, Austin, TX 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.29 $25.29

$19.82 $19.82

27.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$83.9 $83.9

20.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.77 $14.77

$12.30 $12.30

20.08%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$5.48 $5.48

10.04%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$3.72 $3.72

-25.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.36 $2.36

24.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.78 $7.78

$7.76 $7.76

0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$9.14 $9.14

-3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.13 $1.13

5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.75 $3.75

21.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.60 $6.60

$3.43 $3.43

92.42%

Eggs

$5.30 $5.30

$4.35 $4.35

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$13.14 $13.14

-3.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$14.39 $14.39

15.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.86 $21.86

$17.20 $17.20

27.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$4.49 $4.49

38.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.44 $1.44

19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.67 $4.67

-10.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$4.97 $4.97

30.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.00 $3.00

18.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.69 $2.69

36.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.85 $1.85

31.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.18 $2.18

1.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 $11.82

$9.45 $9.45

25.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.78 $15.78

$15.11 $15.11

4.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.89 $2.89

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.49 $3.49

-27.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.64 $1.64

20.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.5 $69.5

$40.44 $40.44

71.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.81 $2.81

1.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.58 $1.58

55.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.84 $48.84

$35.18 $35.18

38.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.90 $0.90

58.89%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

4.08%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.7K $27.7K

-7.24%

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

$218 $218

$222 $222

-1.59%

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

$71.1 $71.1

$58.3 $58.3

22.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 $71.8

$69.1 $69.1

3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 $57.1

$66.2 $66.2

-13.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.31 $45.31

$14.76 $14.76

206.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.17 $14.17

$13.78 $13.78

2.83%

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

$1,409 $1,409

$1,526 $1,526

-7.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.0K $37.0K

$21.2K $21.2K

74.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 $72.6

$54.6 $54.6

33.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.07 $42.07

$44.01 $44.01

-4.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 $81.4

$89.7 $89.7

-9.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 $151

$109 $109

38.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,641 $2,641

$1,942 $1,942

36.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,973 $1,973

$1,258 $1,258

56.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,221 $3,221

$3,762 $3,762

-14.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,139 $3,139

$2,592 $2,592

21.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,540 $4,540

$7,403 $7,403

-38.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,238 $4,238

$3,203 $3,203

32.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,165 $3,165

$5,085 $5,085

-37.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.44

-3.11%

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

Last update for Santa Ana, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,641 in Santa Ana, CA and $1,942 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Santa Ana, CA vs $84.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 vs $417 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

Santa Ana, CA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Santa Ana, 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 61% 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: $2,641 in Santa Ana, CA versus $1,942 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,506 per month in Santa Ana, CA versus $2,695 in Austin, TX – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 72% less than in Santa Ana, 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 $2,695 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 30% less than in Santa Ana, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.