Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Qingdao, Shandong

For one person, living is cheaper in Qingdao, Shandong: $756 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,400 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
37

Cost of Living Index in Qingdao, Shandong
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Qingdao, Shandong Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Qingdao, Shandong

🇨🇳 China

$756

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Qingdao, Shandong

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $756 in Qingdao, Shandong.

Austin, TX $2,704
Qingdao, Shandong $756

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,233 in Qingdao, Shandong.

Austin, TX $4,133
Qingdao, Shandong $1,233

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,709 in Qingdao, Shandong.

Austin, TX $5,562
Qingdao, Shandong $1,709

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 258% more expensive than in Qingdao, Shandong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Qingdao, Shandong is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$2.91 ¥19.43

594.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$17.98 ¥120

372.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$4.46 ¥29.79

176.91%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.66 ¥17.78

105.64%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.54 ¥3.64

607.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.32 ¥2.15

681.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$1.11 ¥7.42

626.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$2.67 ¥17.82

236.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.91 ¥12.73

-40.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.35 ¥9.05

180.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$0.97 ¥6.50

235.05%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.29 ¥8.63

220.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$16.27 ¥109

-19.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$4.36 ¥29.12

228.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$9.66 ¥64.6

65.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.41 ¥9.43

210.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.20 ¥7.99

20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.73 ¥11.55

162.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.26 ¥8.39

232.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.68 ¥4.53

286.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.96 ¥6.44

145.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.94 ¥6.26

87.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.61 ¥4.09

254.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$3.79 ¥25.34

158.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$14.69 ¥98.2

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.01 ¥6.75

175.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.57 ¥10.50

121.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.31 ¥2.10

380.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$18.25 ¥122

121.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.50 ¥10.03

78.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.41 ¥2.74

285.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$9.06 ¥60.5

289.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.31 ¥8.74

-24.43%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$19.1K ¥127.4K

87.88%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$16.6K ¥110.7K

64.09%

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

$219 $219

$69.2 ¥463

216.73%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$6.73 ¥44.95

761.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$7.73 ¥51.7

784.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$20.95 ¥140

176.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$18.21 ¥122

-18.62%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$6.25 ¥41.79

126.08%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$365 ¥2,439

313.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$17.6K ¥117.4K

22.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$52.5 ¥351

-1.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$49.25 ¥329

-10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$93.9 ¥628

-9.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$91.2 ¥609

15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$353 ¥2,362

446.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$199 ¥1,328

540.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$757 ¥5,056

385.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$418 ¥2,796

503.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$3,573 ¥23.9K

113.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$2,172 ¥14.5K

47.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$1,196 ¥7,995

326.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.37

101.48%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Qingdao, Shandong: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Qingdao, Shandong

$199 25.7% 84.4% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Qingdao, Shandong

$221 28.7% 45.1% $182

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Qingdao, Shandong

$83 10.7% 76.2% $265

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Qingdao, Shandong

$84 10.8% 75.8% $262

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Qingdao, Shandong

$129 16.7% 0.2% $0.3

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Qingdao, Shandong

$33 4.3% 61.2% $53

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Qingdao, Shandong

$23 3% 59.6% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $353 in Qingdao, Shandong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 327% 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 $18.00 in Qingdao, Shandong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $221 per month, with Qingdao, Shandong cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇳 Qingdao, Shandong

🕒 Local time

09:25 9:25 AM

22:25 10:25 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

10,071,722

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 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 = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

CNY to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Qingdao, Shandong 11,630 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Qingdao, Shandong

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 Qingdao, Shandong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qingdao, Shandong wins on cost – living expenses run 258% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Qingdao, Shandong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 327% 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 $353 in Qingdao, Shandong. 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 $756 in Qingdao, Shandong – a 258% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Qingdao, Shandong runs roughly 122% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $756 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Qingdao, Shandong but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Qingdao, Shandong 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 Qingdao, Shandong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 258% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.