Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Beijing (Pekin): $1,178 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Beijing (Pekin)
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Beijing (Pekin) Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Beijing (Pekin)

🇨🇳 China

$1,178

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Beijing (Pekin) and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Beijing (Pekin) and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Beijing (Pekin) $1,178
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,895 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Beijing (Pekin) $1,895
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,612 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Beijing (Pekin) $2,612
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Beijing (Pekin) costs roughly 56% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beijing (Pekin) is 12% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 ¥30.39

$20.22 $20.22

-77.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 ¥196

$85.0 $85.0

-65.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ¥35.59

$12.35 $12.35

-56.92%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.57

$5.47 $5.47

-35.65%

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

$0.53 ¥3.56

$3.82 $3.82

-86.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$2.50 $2.50

-88.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.18

$8.06 $8.06

-84.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.15

$8.99 $8.99

-81.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.16

$1.13 $1.13

47.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 ¥11.81

$3.78 $3.78

-53.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.62

$3.25 $3.25

-60.31%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥13.68

$4.14 $4.14

-50.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 ¥97.2

$13.08 $13.08

11.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.46

$14.31 $14.31

-77.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥75.2

$15.96 $15.96

-29.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥13.96

$4.38 $4.38

-52.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.52

$1.45 $1.45

18.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 ¥13.44

$4.54 $4.54

-55.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.38

$4.19 $4.19

-63.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$2.63 $2.63

-74.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.70

$2.36 $2.36

-63.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ¥4.96

$1.76 $1.76

-57.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥4.14

$2.16 $2.16

-71.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 ¥29.57

$9.81 $9.81

-54.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 ¥92.7

$14.72 $14.72

-5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ¥6.88

$2.78 $2.78

-62.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.11

$3.48 $3.48

-47.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$1.49 $1.49

-57.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.88 ¥234

$40.51 $40.51

-13.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ¥13.25

$2.67 $2.67

-25.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$1.58 $1.58

-77.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 ¥51.2

$35.29 $35.29

-78.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.51

$0.99 $0.99

28.28%

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

$19.6K ¥131.2K

$35.8K $35.8K

-45.28%

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

$18.1K ¥121.4K

$27.2K $27.2K

-33.28%

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

$59.0 ¥395

$219 $219

-73.09%

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

$8.94 ¥59.9

$58.0 $58.0

-84.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.15 ¥94.7

$68.4 $68.4

-79.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 ¥273

$57.9 $57.9

-29.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.56 ¥164

$14.82 $14.82

65.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 ¥49.37

$14.13 $14.13

-47.77%

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

$650 ¥4,353

$1,509 $1,509

-56.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K ¥163.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

14.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 ¥471

$51.7 $51.7

36.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 ¥271

$44.05 $44.05

-8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 ¥586

$85.1 $85.1

2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ¥830

$105 $105

17.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,246

$1,932 $1,932

-51.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 ¥3,469

$1,272 $1,272

-59.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,387 ¥16.0K

$3,670 $3,670

-34.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 ¥7,654

$2,525 $2,525

-54.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥84.1K

$7,617 $7,617

65.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,393 ¥42.8K

$3,199 $3,199

99.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,710 ¥11.4K

$5,105 $5,105

-66.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

6.79

-52.72%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Beijing (Pekin)

$518 44%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 146% $754

Groceries & Markets

Beijing (Pekin)

$228 19.4%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 76.7% $175

Clothing & Footwear

Beijing (Pekin)

$145 12.3%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 11.3% $16

Eating Out

Beijing (Pekin)

$107 9.1%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 225% $241

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Beijing (Pekin)

$82 7%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 321% $264

Sport & Entertainment

Beijing (Pekin)

$56 4.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 55.2% $31

Getting Around

Beijing (Pekin)

$41 3.5%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 38.4% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 198% 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: $29.00 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $403 per month, with Beijing (Pekin) cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Beijing (Pekin)

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

00:10 12:10 AM

13 h behind Beijing (Pekin)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,893,095 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.149 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.149 USD). 1 EUR = 7.51 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Beijing (Pekin) Austin, TX 11,450 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Beijing (Pekin)
Austin, TX

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

Beijing (Pekin) vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beijing (Pekin) wins on cost – living expenses run 129% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Beijing (Pekin) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 198% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $933 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,178 per month in Beijing (Pekin) versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beijing (Pekin) runs roughly 16% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beijing (Pekin) but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Beijing (Pekin) 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 Beijing (Pekin) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.