Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Taipei

For one person, living is cheaper in Taipei: $1,395 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 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
67

Cost of Living Index in Taipei
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Taipei Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Taipei

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,395

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,395 in Taipei.

Austin, TX $2,704
Taipei $1,395

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,227 in Taipei.

Austin, TX $4,133
Taipei $2,227

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $3,059 in Taipei.

Austin, TX $5,562
Taipei $3,059

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 94% more expensive than in Taipei, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Taipei 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$4.76 NT$152

324.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$48.18 NT$1,537

76.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$5.75 NT$183

114.78%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.49 NT$112

56.73%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.88 NT$28.03

334.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.65 NT$20.61

284.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.86 NT$91.4

181.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$3.67 NT$117

144.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.09 NT$98.5

-63.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.05 NT$65.5

84.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.06 NT$97.5

6.21%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.70 NT$86.0

53.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$19.66 NT$627

-33.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$9.83 NT$314

45.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$21.11 NT$674

-24.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$5.08 NT$162

-13.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$3.39 NT$108

-57.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.00 NT$95.8

51.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$4.56 NT$146

-8.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.72 NT$86.8

-3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.28 NT$72.9

3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.68 NT$53.7

4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.15 NT$36.81

87.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$4.05 NT$129

142.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$14.32 NT$457

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.70 NT$54.2

63.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.29 NT$73.0

51.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.61 NT$19.46

144.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$38.47 NT$1,228

5.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.73 NT$87.0

-2.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.75 NT$24.02

110.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$9.59 NT$306

267.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.02 NT$32.56

-2.94%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$34.1K NT$1.1M

5.04%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$24.2K NT$771.9K

12.34%

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

$219 $219

$86.4 NT$2,756

153.87%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$17.12 NT$546

238.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$27.06 NT$864

152.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$40.77 NT$1,301

42.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$16.04 NT$512

-7.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$9.63 NT$307

46.73%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$656 NT$20.9K

130.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$16.4K NT$524.1K

30.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$62.7 NT$2,001

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$39.50 NT$1,261

11.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$83.9 NT$2,677

1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$106 NT$3,392

-0.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$1,016 NT$32.4K

90.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$479 NT$15.3K

165.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$1,568 NT$50.0K

134.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$952 NT$30.4K

165.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$12.2K NT$389.2K

-37.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$7,207 NT$230.0K

-55.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$1,772 NT$56.5K

188.09%

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 5, 2026

Last update for Taipei: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Taipei

$479 34.8% 62.4% $794

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Taipei

$401 29.2% 0.4% $1.4

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Taipei

$125 9.1% 64.1% $223

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Taipei

$131 9.5% 62.2% $215

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Taipei

$132 9.6% 2.2% $2.8

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Taipei

$60 4.4% 30.3% $26

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Taipei

$47 3.5% 16.9% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,016 in Taipei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 188% 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 $48.00 in Taipei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $401 per month, with Taipei cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇹🇼 Taipei

🕒 Local time

03:36 3:36 AM

16:36 4:36 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

2,635,286 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.79 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 = 35.79 TWD (100 TWD = 2.79 EUR).

TWD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Taipei 12,570 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Taipei

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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taipei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 188% 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 $1,016 in Taipei. 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 $1,395 in Taipei – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taipei runs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,395 in Taipei versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Taipei but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Taipei 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 Taipei 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 Taipei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.