Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Taoyuan

For one person, living is cheaper in Taoyuan: $1,200 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 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
58

Cost of Living Index in Taoyuan
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Taoyuan Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Taoyuan

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,200

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,200 in Taoyuan.

Austin, TX $2,663
Taoyuan $1,200

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,816 in Taoyuan.

Austin, TX $4,133
Taoyuan $1,816

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,433 in Taoyuan.

Austin, TX $5,603
Taoyuan $2,433

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 122% more expensive than in Taoyuan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Taoyuan is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$4.23 NT$137

391.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$24.93 NT$808

239.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$5.74 NT$186

114.63%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.97 NT$96.2

89.56%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.02 NT$33.18

264.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.71 NT$22.97

252.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$1.84 NT$59.8

337.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$2.30 NT$74.6

291.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.84 NT$92.2

-60.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.22 NT$39.64

207.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.67 NT$86.5

22.10%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.17 NT$70.4

92.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$9.22 NT$299

39.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$7.55 NT$245

87.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$21.09 NT$684

-23.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.83 NT$124

13.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.06 NT$66.8

-29.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.11 NT$101

45.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.10 NT$101

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.47 NT$80.2

4.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.03 NT$65.9

15.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.33 NT$75.6

-23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.88 NT$28.53

152.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$5.02 NT$163

96.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$10.89 NT$353

38.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.43 NT$46.45

104.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.16 NT$69.9

60.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.55 NT$17.81

170.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$38.07 NT$1,234

9.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.74 NT$88.8

-0.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.76 NT$24.51

118.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$6.99 NT$227

405.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.00 NT$32.37

-5.00%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$32.8K NT$1.1M

9.79%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.3K NT$755.7K

16.17%

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

$229 $229

$69.5 NT$2,252

229.67%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$17.72 NT$574

235.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$21.93 NT$711

218.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$33.59 NT$1,089

70.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$7.07 NT$229

130.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$10.94 NT$355

30.53%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$517 NT$16.8K

191.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$31.3K NT$1.0M

-31.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$91.3 NT$2,959

-42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$24.83 NT$805

76.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$81.9 NT$2,655

3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$96.2 NT$3,119

7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$646 NT$20.9K

195.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$436 NT$14.1K

192.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$964 NT$31.2K

280.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$729 NT$23.6K

248.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$7,498 NT$243.2K

1.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$4,782 NT$155.1K

-33.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,549 NT$50.2K

230.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

2.38

185.29%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Taoyuan

$436 36.3% 65.8% $838

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Taoyuan

$313 26.1% 22.7% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Taoyuan

$109 9.1% 69.5% $249

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Taoyuan

$107 9% 69.7% $247

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Taoyuan

$132 11% 3.4% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Taoyuan

$55 4.6% 35.4% $30

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Taoyuan

$47 3.9% 20.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $646 in Taoyuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 231% 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 Taoyuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $313 per month, with Taoyuan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇹🇼 Taoyuan

🕒 Local time

20:31 8:31 PM

09:31 9:31 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

2,147,763

💱 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 →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Taoyuan 12,590 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Taoyuan

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 Taoyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taoyuan wins on cost – living expenses run 122% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taoyuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 231% 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 $646 in Taoyuan. 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 $1,200 in Taoyuan – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taoyuan runs roughly 10% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,200 in Taoyuan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taoyuan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.