Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

For one person, living is cheaper in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: $707 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,500 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
35

Cost of Living Index in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu
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Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

🇨🇳 China

$707

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $707 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Austin, TX $2,663
Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu $707

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,185 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Austin, TX $4,133
Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu $1,185

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,663 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Austin, TX $5,603
Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu $1,663

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 276% more expensive than in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.83 ¥25.64

442.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$26.02 ¥174

225.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.57 ¥30.58

169.58%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.17 ¥21.21

77.60%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.48 ¥3.23

675.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.31 ¥2.04

706.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$0.93 ¥6.22

765.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$1.47 ¥9.80

512.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.79 ¥11.98

-37.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.18 ¥7.91

217.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$0.87 ¥5.85

274.71%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.07 ¥13.85

101.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$19.53 ¥131

-33.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$3.69 ¥24.70

283.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$6.16 ¥41.17

163.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.33 ¥15.56

85.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.38 ¥9.25

5.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.47 ¥9.81

206.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.31 ¥8.74

231.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.87 ¥5.79

196.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.86 ¥5.77

173.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.62 ¥4.18

187.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.54 ¥3.60

311.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.57 ¥23.90

176.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.36 ¥89.3

12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.75 ¥5.01

289.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.45 ¥9.68

138.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.31 ¥2.08

380.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$19.88 ¥133

109.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.97 ¥13.20

38.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.38 ¥2.55

336.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$7.03 ¥47.00

402.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.21 ¥8.12

-21.49%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$18.1K ¥121.2K

98.87%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$17.9K ¥119.7K

51.24%

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

$229 $229

$18.76 ¥125

1120.63%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$10.11 ¥67.6

487.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$11.07 ¥74.0

531.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$60.8 ¥407

-5.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$16.34 ¥109

-0.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$7.45 ¥49.80

91.68%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$301 ¥2,015

399.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$17.8K ¥118.8K

20.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$45.01 ¥301

17.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$41.36 ¥277

5.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$60.5 ¥404

40.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$58.6 ¥392

75.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$256 ¥1,715

643.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$165 ¥1,105

671.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$631 ¥4,217

481.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$379 ¥2,535

569.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,912 ¥19.5K

161.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,953 ¥13.1K

61.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.5

94.00%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$165 23.4% 87% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$216 30.5% 46.6% $189

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$40 5.7% 88.9% $318

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$93 13.2% 73.7% $261

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$92 13.1% 27.8% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$76 10.7% 11.7% $10

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$25 3.5% 57.4% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $256 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $26.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $216 per month, with Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇳 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

🕒 Local time

05:22 5:22 AM

18:22 6:22 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

831,113

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 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 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 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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Austin, TX Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 12,020 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu wins on cost – living expenses run 276% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $1,061 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $256 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. 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 $707 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu – a 276% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu runs roughly 110% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $707 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 276% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.