Austin vs San Diego Cost of Living
Austin (United States) · Overall index 70.9 — San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, San Diego is 13% more expensive than Austin.
- Rent in San Diego is 43% more expensive than in Austin.
- Transport in San Diego is 9% more expensive than in Austin.
| Item | Austin | San Diego | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +43% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,819 | $2,906 | +60% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,426 | $1,560 | +9% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,531 | $5,348 | +51% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,256 | $3,541 | +57% |
| Groceries | +6% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.27 | $1.29 | +2% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.66 | $3.77 | +3% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.82 | $4.26 | -12% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.39 | $4.41 | 0% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $11.1 | $14.8 | +33% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10 | $12.7 | +27% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.8 | $19.1 | +21% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.26 | $5.14 | -2% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.75 | $1.82 | +4% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.2 | $3.98 | -5% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.66 | $5.15 | +11% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.94 | $3.07 | +4% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.75 | $2.92 | +6% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.48 | $2.36 | -5% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.21 | $2.61 | +18% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.2 | $15.1 | -1% |
| Transport | +9% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.4 | $2.68 | +12% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $101 | $122 | +21% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.24 | $3.68 | +14% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.73 | $1.86 | +8% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.89 | $0.87 | -2% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,355 | $26,442 | +9% |
| Dining out | +7% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $21.8 | $22.6 | +4% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $99.9 | $107 | +7% |
| Fast food combo meal | $10.9 | $11.9 | +9% |
| Cappuccino | $5 | $5.18 | +4% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.08 | $2.16 | +4% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.5 | $5.99 | +9% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.14 | $7.37 | +3% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.6 | $1.87 | +17% |
| Telecom | +1% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $57.2 | $63.4 | +11% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $59.8 | $55.3 | -8% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.31 | $0.31 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.3 | $13.3 | 0% |
| Utilities & household | +4% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $157 | $153 | -3% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.21 | $0.2 | -5% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.67 | $4.02 | -14% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.15 | $1.46 | +27% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18.8 | $20.8 | +11% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $77.3 | $79.6 | +3% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $15.3 | $15.3 | 0% |
| Men's haircut | $30.2 | $27.1 | -10% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $20.7 | $26.6 | +29% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,799 | $2,070 | +15% |
3,148 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs