Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Tainan

For one person, living is cheaper in Tainan: $1,068 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 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
52

Cost of Living Index in Tainan
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Tainan Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Tainan

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,068

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,068 in Tainan.

Austin, TX $2,663
Tainan $1,068

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,837 in Tainan.

Austin, TX $4,133
Tainan $1,837

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,606 in Tainan.

Austin, TX $5,603
Tainan $2,606

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 149% more expensive than in Tainan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Tainan is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.74 NT$121

455.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$24.62 NT$799

243.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.79 NT$155

157.20%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.27 NT$106

72.17%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.95 NT$30.66

291.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.63 NT$20.54

296.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.86 NT$92.6

181.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$3.49 NT$113

158.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$3.09 NT$100

-63.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.77 NT$57.5

111.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.15 NT$102

3.49%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.75 NT$89.3

51.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$19.50 NT$632

-33.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.88 NT$320

43.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$21.04 NT$682

-22.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.96 NT$161

-12.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.86 NT$92.7

-48.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.00 NT$97.4

50.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.48 NT$145

-3.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.66 NT$86.4

-3.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.27 NT$73.6

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.71 NT$55.3

4.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.15 NT$37.31

93.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.81 NT$124

159.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.94 NT$452

8.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.65 NT$53.4

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.17 NT$70.3

59.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.61 NT$19.68

144.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$33.89 NT$1,099

23.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.53 NT$82.2

7.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.77 NT$24.92

115.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$5.74 NT$186

514.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 NT$32.90

-5.94%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$32.8K NT$1.1M

9.90%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.1K NT$780.6K

12.48%

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

$229 $229

$87.2 NT$2,828

162.57%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$17.51 NT$568

239.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$21.30 NT$691

228.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$45.65 NT$1,480

25.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$9.60 NT$311

48.75%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$433 NT$14.1K

247.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$5,413 NT$175.5K

296.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$63.2 NT$2,050

-16.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$39.20 NT$1,271

11.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$83.7 NT$2,716

1.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$103 NT$3,353

-0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$297 NT$9,624

542.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$200 NT$6,470

538.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$845 NT$27.4K

333.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$696 NT$22.6K

264.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$4,123 NT$133.7K

84.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$3,022 NT$98.0K

4.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,376 NT$44.6K

272.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

2.4

182.92%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tainan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Tainan

$200 18.7% 84.3% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Tainan

$393 36.9% 2.8% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Tainan

$126 11.8% 64.8% $232

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Tainan

$111 10.4% 68.6% $243

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Tainan

$130 12.2% 1.8% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Tainan

$65 6.1% 24.4% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Tainan

$43 4% 27.3% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $297 in Tainan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 272% 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 $25.00 in Tainan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $393 per month, with Tainan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇹🇼 Tainan

🕒 Local time

20:23 8:23 PM

09:23 9:23 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

1,886,033

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 TWD = 3.08 USD

100 TWD = 2.74 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

TWD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Tainan 12,840 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Tainan

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 Tainan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tainan wins on cost – living expenses run 149% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tainan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 272% 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 $297 in Tainan. 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 $1,068 in Tainan – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tainan runs roughly 23% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,068 in Tainan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tainan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Tainan 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 Tainan 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 Tainan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.