What is a studio apartment in Austin?
A studio apartment is one open room that holds the living area, sleeping area and kitchen, plus a separate bathroom. It has no bedroom door. Austin landlords also call it an efficiency apartment. You rent one room, so you pay for less space and often less rent.
At Centro Studio Homes, every home is a studio with one bath. There are 306 of them at 824 Camino La Costa, Austin, TX 78752, in the Highland neighborhood. Centro rebuilt each one in 2019-2020 “from the studs out.” That is the client’s own description of the work. Ask the leasing office for the full scope list when you tour.
How much does a studio apartment cost in Austin?
Studio rent in Austin varies by building, floor and date. Apartments.com reports around $1,179 a month for a studio in Highland, and around $1,432 for a one-bedroom. Those are market averages, not Centro prices. Centro’s published studio rents, listed on 2026-11-02, run from $699 to $1,114.
| Home | Monthly rent | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average studio, Highland | About $1,179 | Apartments.com, market average |
| Average one-bedroom, Highland | About $1,432 | Apartments.com, market average |
| Centro 2nd floor studio | $699 to $1,099 | Centro, listed 2026-11-02 |
| Centro 1st floor studio | $729 to $1,114 | Centro, listed 2026-11-02 |
Every Centro price listed on 2026-11-02 sits below the Highland studio average on that page. Prices change daily, so treat the table as a snapshot. For a full cost breakdown, read the studio apartment costs guide. To see why the sticker price and your monthly bill can differ, read starting price vs total monthly cost.
What do Centro’s rebuilt studios include?
Each Centro studio has a full kitchen, a new bathroom and hard flooring, all rebuilt in 2019-2020. The client lists these features in the home:
- Full kitchen with quartz countertops and a red GALANZ fridge
- New bathrooms with quartz countertops
- Modern fixtures
- Hardwood-style floors, a type of hard surface flooring
- Microwave
- New energy-efficient A/C and heat
- Natural light
Centro does not publish the square footage of its studios. We will not guess it. Ask the office for the size of the exact unit you want, and measure your bed and desk before the tour. The floor plan drawing on each floor plan page shows the layout.
What does “rebuilt from the studs out” mean?
Centro says it rebuilt 306 studios in 2019-2020 “from the studs out.” That means the work went down to the wall framing, not just paint and new fixtures. Centro has not published a room-by-room scope list. Ask for one on your tour, so you know exactly what is new.
The client does list what you will see: new kitchens, new bathrooms, new A/C and heat, modern fixtures and hard flooring. Ask which parts of the plumbing and wiring were replaced, too. A rebuilt home should have an answer.
Which Centro floor plan should you pick?
Centro has two studio floor plans, one on each floor. Both are one bath. The 2nd floor plan starts lower at $699, and the 1st floor plan starts at $729. Both ranges reach above $1,000 depending on the unit and the date, so check live availability.
| Floor plan | Beds and baths | Rent range, listed 2026-11-02 | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centro Studio Home - 1st Floor | Studio, 1 bath | $729 to $1,114 | 1st floor studio |
| Centro Studio Home - 2nd Floor | Studio, 1 bath | $699 to $1,099 | 2nd floor studio |
Look at both pages, then see all units on the floor plans page. Each plan page links to a rent estimate tool. Rent can vary by unit, so the range matters more than the lowest number. Centro also lists Furnished Short Term Rentals at $1,954 per month. Contact the office for availability.
How do you set up a studio so it feels like more than one room?
Zone the room. Put the bed at the far end, the desk near the light, and the sofa or a rug between them. Use tall shelves instead of wide ones. Keep the kitchen counter clear. Zones make one room work like three.
Our studio layout and storage guide walks through the steps. The post on how to zone a studio shows a sample plan. Centro does not publish closet details, so ask about storage on your tour.
Is a studio a better deal than a one-bedroom?
A studio costs less than a one-bedroom in the same area, and you give up a separate bedroom. In Highland, Apartments.com shows about $1,179 for a studio and $1,432 for a one-bedroom. That gap is about $253 a month. Centro has studios only.
| Studio | One-bedroom | |
|---|---|---|
| Rooms | One open room plus bath | Separate bedroom, living room, bath |
| Highland market average | About $1,179 | About $1,432 |
| Fits you if | You want a lower rent and less to clean | You need a door between bed and desk |
Read the full studio vs one-bedroom comparison before you decide. If your budget is the main limit, see studio apartments in Austin under $800. That page is honest about where Centro’s range ends.
Can you rent a furnished studio?
Centro lists Furnished Short Term Rentals at $1,954 per month. Contact the office for availability. The client does not publish what furniture is included or the minimum stay. Read the short-term and furnished rentals guide for how these rentals work in Austin.
A furnished apartment costs more each month because you pay for the furniture. A short-term rental has a shorter commitment than a standard lease. Ask the office which of these applies before you plan around it.
Where is Centro, and how far is it from the places you go?
Centro is at 824 Camino La Costa in Highland, Austin, TX 78752. The client gives these distances: 1/2 mile to the ACC Highland campus, 4 miles to the UT Austin campus and 5 miles to downtown Austin. Major roads nearby are I-35, US 290 and US 183.
| Place | Distance from Centro (client’s figure) |
|---|---|
| ACC Highland campus | 1/2 mile |
| UT Austin campus | 4 miles |
| Downtown Austin | 5 miles |
For route detail, see apartments near ACC Highland and apartments near downtown Austin. The Highland neighborhood page covers the area, and the car-free commute guide covers trains and bikes. Highland station is part of that picture.
What else comes with the community?
Your studio comes with shared community amenities. The client lists a resort pool, a fitness center with new equipment and free weights, Echelon bikes, a CoWork space, a Grill and Chill courtyard, a dog park, bike storage and a 24-hour laundry facility. Reserved parking is available.
That list is long. Learn more on the apartment complex page or the amenities page. A resort-style pool, a fitness center and a CoWork space can take the place of gear you would otherwise buy or rent.
What should you check before you apply?
Check the real monthly cost, the deposit and the fees. A low starting rent is only one line of your budget. You also pay an application fee, a deposit and, if you have a pet, pet charges. Centro publishes these so you can plan.
- Pick your floor plan and a price you can carry every month.
- Read the deposits page. Studio deposits start at $500. The application fee is $50 and non-refundable.
- Check the specials page. The current offer is homes starting at $699 plus up to 8 weeks free on select floor plans. Offers vary by floor plan.
- Read the move-in costs guide and the apartment tour checklist.
- Book a tour and ask for the exact unit price.
For the full money picture, see apartment rentals in Austin, TX.
Next step
Book a tour in person or by live video. You can also call (737) 317-8369 to ask about a specific studio and today’s price.
