Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kaohsiung

For one person, living is cheaper in Kaohsiung: $1,108 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,200 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
54

Cost of Living Index in Kaohsiung
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Kaohsiung Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Kaohsiung

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,108

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Kaohsiung actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,108 in Kaohsiung.

Austin, TX $2,704
Kaohsiung $1,108

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,821 in Kaohsiung.

Austin, TX $4,133
Kaohsiung $1,821

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $2,535 in Kaohsiung.

Austin, TX $5,562
Kaohsiung $2,535

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 144% more expensive than in Kaohsiung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Kaohsiung is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$5.46 NT$174

270.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$31.96 NT$1,020

166.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$4.87 NT$155

153.59%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.83 NT$90.4

93.29%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$1.14 NT$36.40

235.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.71 NT$22.76

252.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$1.53 NT$48.85

426.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$2.55 NT$81.5

252.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.25 NT$104

-65.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.19 NT$69.7

72.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.07 NT$98.1

5.86%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.67 NT$85.2

55.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$16.13 NT$515

-18.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$8.08 NT$258

77.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$15.24 NT$486

4.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$6.80 NT$217

-35.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.82 NT$90.1

-48.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.57 NT$82.0

76.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.08 NT$98.4

36.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.84 NT$90.7

-7.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.06 NT$65.8

14.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.45 NT$78.2

-28.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.04 NT$33.18

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$4.54 NT$145

116.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$15.72 NT$502

-6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.67 NT$53.4

66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.25 NT$71.7

54.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.68 NT$21.68

119.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$12.67 NT$404

219.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.76 NT$88.0

-3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.75 NT$23.98

110.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$5.51 NT$176

540.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.02 NT$32.50

-2.94%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$33.6K NT$1.1M

6.42%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$23.0K NT$735.3K

17.94%

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

$219 $219

$84.8 NT$2,705

158.63%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$17.34 NT$553

234.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$25.77 NT$822

165.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$41.21 NT$1,315

40.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$10.41 NT$332

42.36%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$10.96 NT$350

28.92%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$462 NT$14.7K

226.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$14.1K NT$449.2K

52.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$93.5 NT$2,982

-44.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$31.88 NT$1,017

38.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$85.9 NT$2,740

-0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$104 NT$3,314

1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$415 NT$13.2K

365.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$276 NT$8,808

360.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$979 NT$31.2K

274.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$668 NT$21.3K

278.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$4,588 NT$146.4K

66.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$3,154 NT$100.7K

1.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$1,462 NT$46.7K

249.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

2.56

165.23%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Kaohsiung

$276 24.9% 78.3% $996

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Kaohsiung

$368 33.1% 8.7% $35

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Kaohsiung

$112 10.1% 67.7% $236

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Kaohsiung

$128 11.5% 63% $218

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Kaohsiung

$142 12.8% 10.1% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Kaohsiung

$63 5.7% 26.7% $23

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Kaohsiung

$22 2% 61.6% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $415 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 249% 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 $32.00 in Kaohsiung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $368 per month, with Kaohsiung cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇹🇼 Kaohsiung

🕒 Local time

05:22 5:22 AM

18:22 6:22 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

2,777,873

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇼 New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 31.91 TWD (100 TWD = 3.13 USD). 1 EUR = 35.76 TWD (100 TWD = 2.8 EUR).

TWD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Kaohsiung 12,870 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Kaohsiung

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 Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaohsiung wins on cost – living expenses run 144% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kaohsiung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 249% 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 $415 in Kaohsiung. 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 $1,108 in Kaohsiung – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kaohsiung runs roughly 220% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,108 in Kaohsiung versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaohsiung but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kaohsiung 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Kaohsiung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kaohsiung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.