Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Beijing (Pekin)

For one person, living is cheaper in Beijing (Pekin): $1,178 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Beijing (Pekin)
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Beijing (Pekin) Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Beijing (Pekin)

🇨🇳 China

$1,178

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Beijing (Pekin)

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 Beijing (Pekin) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin).

Austin, TX $2,704
Beijing (Pekin) $1,178

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,895 in Beijing (Pekin).

Austin, TX $4,133
Beijing (Pekin) $1,895

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $2,612 in Beijing (Pekin).

Austin, TX $5,562
Beijing (Pekin) $2,612

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 129% more expensive than in Beijing (Pekin), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Beijing (Pekin) is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$4.54 ¥30.39

345.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$29.25 ¥196

190.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$5.32 ¥35.59

132.14%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.52 ¥23.57

55.40%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.53 ¥3.56

620.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.28 ¥1.88

792.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$1.22 ¥8.18

560.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$1.67 ¥11.15

438.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.67 ¥11.16

-32.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.77 ¥11.81

113.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.29 ¥8.62

151.94%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.04 ¥13.68

102.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$14.52 ¥97.2

-9.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$3.21 ¥21.46

345.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$11.23 ¥75.2

42.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.09 ¥13.96

109.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.72 ¥11.52

-15.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.01 ¥13.44

125.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.55 ¥10.38

170.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.67 ¥4.52

292.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.85 ¥5.70

177.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.74 ¥4.96

137.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.62 ¥4.14

248.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$4.42 ¥29.57

121.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$13.84 ¥92.7

6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.03 ¥6.88

169.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.81 ¥12.11

92.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.64 ¥4.31

132.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$34.88 ¥234

16.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.98 ¥13.25

34.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.35 ¥2.35

351.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$7.65 ¥51.2

361.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.27 ¥8.51

-22.05%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$19.6K ¥131.2K

82.74%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$18.1K ¥121.4K

49.89%

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

$219 $219

$59.0 ¥395

271.64%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$8.94 ¥59.9

548.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$14.15 ¥94.7

383.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$40.77 ¥273

42.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$24.56 ¥164

-39.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$7.38 ¥49.37

91.46%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$650 ¥4,353

132.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$24.5K ¥163.8K

-12.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$70.4 ¥471

-26.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$40.51 ¥271

8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$87.6 ¥586

-2.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$124 ¥830

-15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$933 ¥6,246

107.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$518 ¥3,469

145.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$2,387 ¥16.0K

53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$1,143 ¥7,654

120.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$12.6K ¥84.1K

-39.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$6,393 ¥42.8K

-49.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$1,710 ¥11.4K

198.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.21

111.53%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Beijing (Pekin)

$518 44% 59.3% $754

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Beijing (Pekin)

$228 19.4% 43.4% $175

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Beijing (Pekin)

$107 9.1% 69.2% $241

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Beijing (Pekin)

$82 7% 76.2% $264

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Beijing (Pekin)

$145 12.3% 12.7% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Beijing (Pekin)

$56 4.7% 35.6% $31

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Beijing (Pekin)

$41 3.5% 27.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $933 in Beijing (Pekin). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 198% 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 $29.00 in Beijing (Pekin) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $228 per month, with Beijing (Pekin) cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇳 Beijing (Pekin)

🕒 Local time

22:57 10:57 PM

11:57 11:57 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

21,893,095 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CNY = 0.149 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.149 USD). 1 EUR = 7.51 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

CNY to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Beijing (Pekin) 11,450 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Beijing (Pekin)

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 Beijing (Pekin): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beijing (Pekin) wins on cost – living expenses run 129% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Beijing (Pekin) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 198% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $933 in Beijing (Pekin). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin) – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beijing (Pekin) runs roughly 16% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beijing (Pekin) but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Beijing (Pekin) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Beijing (Pekin) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.