Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Anshan

For one person, living is cheaper in Anshan: $630 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Anshan
🇨🇳 China
$630
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Anshan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Anshan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $630 in Anshan.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Anshan $630

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,018 in Anshan.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Anshan $1,018

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,406 in Anshan.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Anshan $1,406

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 323% more expensive than in Anshan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Anshan is 53% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$3.08 ¥20.59
574.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$18.82 ¥126
349.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$4.36 ¥29.16
182.57%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.49 ¥16.65
126.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$0.39 ¥2.58
853.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.23 ¥1.54
986.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$0.78 ¥5.25
932.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$1.66 ¥11.09
442.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.77 ¥11.83
-36.72%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.29 ¥8.64
190.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$0.35 ¥2.37
831.43%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$1.06 ¥7.12
293.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$8.74 ¥58.4
47.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$1.77 ¥11.82
700.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$9.11 ¥60.9
78.05%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$1.06 ¥7.11
308.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.17 ¥7.82
24.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.18 ¥7.88
282.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$1.17 ¥7.81
270.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$0.31 ¥2.09
732.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$0.89 ¥5.95
164.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$0.29 ¥1.94
513.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.43 ¥2.89
416.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$3.66 ¥24.45
169.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$7.66 ¥51.2
96.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$0.77 ¥5.14
279.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.10 ¥7.38
214.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.29 ¥1.94
413.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$17.75 ¥119
135.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.07 ¥7.13
155.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$0.16 ¥1.06
937.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$2.92 ¥19.53
1108.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.06 ¥7.07
-10.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$19.5K ¥130.6K
84.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$15.2K ¥101.9K
77.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$29.30 ¥196
681.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$7.25 ¥48.47
719.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$14.66 ¥98.0
376.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$42.00 ¥281
36.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$15.17 ¥101
7.65%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$5.91 ¥39.53
141.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$221 ¥1,478
581.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$21.7K ¥144.9K
-0.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$37.91 ¥253
39.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$33.24 ¥222
31.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$60.1 ¥402
41.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$70.2 ¥470
46.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$298 ¥1,996
539.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$184 ¥1,229
593.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$626 ¥4,187
485.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$380 ¥2,540
568.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$3,597 ¥24.0K
111.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$1,957 ¥13.1K
61.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Anshan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$960 ¥6,418
433.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
2
239.50%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Anshan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Anshan
$184 85.6% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Anshan
$152 62.4% $253
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Anshan
$51 85.7% $307
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Anshan
$77 78.2% $277
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Anshan
$91 29.2% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Anshan
$54 37.3% $32
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Anshan
$21 64.6% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $298 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 433% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $19.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $152 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇨🇳 Anshan
🕒 Local time
12:37 12:37 PM
01:37 1:37 AM
13 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
1,543,696
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Anshan 11,040 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Anshan

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
Austin, TX vs Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Anshan cheaper than Austin, TX?
Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 323% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Austin, TX or Anshan?
Average pay runs 433% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Austin, TX and Anshan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $298 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Austin, TX or in Anshan?
Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Austin, TX and in Anshan?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $630 in Anshan – a 323% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Austin, TX or in Anshan?
At $630 in Anshan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Austin, TX or in Anshan?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 323% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?