Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ningbo

For one person, living is cheaper in Ningbo: $682 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Ningbo
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Ningbo Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Ningbo

🇨🇳 China

$682

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $682 in Ningbo.

Austin, TX $2,663
Ningbo $682

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,177 in Ningbo.

Austin, TX $4,133
Ningbo $1,177

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,672 in Ningbo.

Austin, TX $5,603
Ningbo $1,672

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 290% more expensive than in Ningbo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Ningbo is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$2.91 ¥19.46

613.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$29.60 ¥198

185.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.58 ¥30.62

169.00%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.43 ¥22.93

64.14%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.47 ¥3.16

691.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.29 ¥1.92

762.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.04 ¥6.93

674.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$3.45 ¥23.04

161.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.78 ¥11.88

-37.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.16 ¥7.78

223.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$0.73 ¥4.86

346.58%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.62 ¥10.86

157.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$14.79 ¥98.9

-12.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$3.81 ¥25.45

271.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$8.83 ¥59.1

83.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.07 ¥7.18

304.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.52 ¥10.16

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.50 ¥10.06

200.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.18 ¥7.88

267.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.63 ¥4.21

309.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.75 ¥4.99

213.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.64 ¥4.27

178.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.54 ¥3.59

311.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.39 ¥29.33

125.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$8.00 ¥53.5

88.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.75 ¥5.04

289.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.42 ¥9.51

143.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.29 ¥1.93

413.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$16.16 ¥108

158.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.76 ¥11.78

55.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.37 ¥2.49

348.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$7.37 ¥49.29

378.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.28 ¥8.54

-25.78%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$19.6K ¥131.4K

83.48%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$17.7K ¥118.0K

53.36%

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

$229 $229

$51.9 ¥347

341.13%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$6.85 ¥45.78

767.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$7.93 ¥53.0

781.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$25.07 ¥168

128.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.69 ¥98.2

11.16%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$7.71 ¥51.6

85.21%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$929 ¥6,209

62.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$15.8K ¥105.8K

35.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$62.5 ¥418

-15.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$27.09 ¥181

61.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$62.0 ¥414

36.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$52.4 ¥350

96.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$358 ¥2,392

433.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$179 ¥1,198

611.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$772 ¥5,162

374.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$482 ¥3,223

426.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$3,861 ¥25.8K

97.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,097 ¥14.0K

50.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,180 ¥7,892

333.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.18

113.52%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ningbo: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Ningbo

$179 26.3% 85.9% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Ningbo

$190 27.9% 53% $215

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Ningbo

$67 9.8% 81.4% $292

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Ningbo

$93 13.7% 73.6% $261

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Ningbo

$92 13.5% 28.3% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Ningbo

$41 5.9% 52.8% $45

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Ningbo

$21 3.1% 64.3% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $358 in Ningbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 334% 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 $30.00 in Ningbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $190 per month, with Ningbo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇳 Ningbo

🕒 Local time

07:26 7:26 AM

20:26 8:26 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

7,605,689

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

CNY to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Ningbo 12,140 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Ningbo

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 Ningbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ningbo wins on cost – living expenses run 290% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ningbo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 334% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $358 in Ningbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $682 in Ningbo – a 290% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ningbo runs roughly 158% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $682 in Ningbo versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ningbo but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ningbo 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 Ningbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 290% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.