Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Chengdu: $734 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Chengdu
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Chengdu Living Index
129

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

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Chengdu

🇨🇳 China

$734

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chengdu 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 Chengdu and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Chengdu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Chengdu $734
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,211 in Chengdu versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Chengdu $1,211
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,688 in Chengdu versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Chengdu $1,688
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Chengdu costs roughly 73% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chengdu is 45% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.11

$20.22 $20.22

-85.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.31 ¥149

$85.0 $85.0

-73.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ¥32.71

$12.35 $12.35

-60.40%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥19.96

$5.47 $5.47

-45.34%

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

$0.51 ¥3.40

$3.82 $3.82

-86.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$2.50 $2.50

-88.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.74

$8.06 $8.06

-81.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥14.55

$8.99 $8.99

-75.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.28

$1.13 $1.13

62.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥10.36

$3.78 $3.78

-58.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.58

$3.25 $3.25

-69.85%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.47

$4.14 $4.14

-62.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 ¥94.7

$13.08 $13.08

8.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ¥24.76

$14.31 $14.31

-74.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.12 ¥74.3

$15.96 $15.96

-30.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.52

$4.38 $4.38

-57.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.73

$1.45 $1.45

-9.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.34

$4.54 $4.54

-75.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.59

$4.19 $4.19

-72.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.03

$2.63 $2.63

-71.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$2.36 $2.36

-71.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$1.76 $1.76

-64.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.66

$2.16 $2.16

-74.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.83 ¥25.59

$9.81 $9.81

-60.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 ¥30.71

$14.72 $14.72

-68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.45

$2.78 $2.78

-70.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$3.48 $3.48

-58.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.93

$1.49 $1.49

-70.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.70 ¥165

$40.51 $40.51

-39.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.09

$2.67 $2.67

-49.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$1.58 $1.58

-80.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥29.26

$35.29 $35.29

-87.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ¥8.69

$0.99 $0.99

31.31%

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

$19.5K ¥130.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

-45.43%

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

$17.1K ¥114.1K

$27.2K $27.2K

-37.19%

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

$47.43 ¥317

$219 $219

-78.37%

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

$9.39 ¥62.8

$58.0 $58.0

-83.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.51 ¥83.6

$68.4 $68.4

-81.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.41 ¥183

$57.9 $57.9

-52.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.30 ¥75.5

$14.82 $14.82

-23.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 ¥41.05

$14.13 $14.13

-56.55%

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

$376 ¥2,516

$1,509 $1,509

-75.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ¥99.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

-30.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.02 ¥167

$51.7 $51.7

-51.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.00 ¥187

$44.05 $44.05

-36.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.3 ¥383

$85.1 $85.1

-32.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 ¥352

$105 $105

-50.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 ¥3,145

$1,932 $1,932

-75.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ¥1,716

$1,272 $1,272

-79.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 ¥5,472

$3,670 $3,670

-77.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,580

$2,525 $2,525

-78.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,708 ¥24.8K

$7,617 $7,617

-51.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,928 ¥12.9K

$3,199 $3,199

-39.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,277 ¥8,531

$5,105 $5,105

-74.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

6.79

-50.22%

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

Last update for Chengdu: 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

Chengdu

$257 34.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 396% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Chengdu

$195 25.9%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 107% $208

Eating Out

Chengdu

$88 11.7%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 295% $260

Clothing & Footwear

Chengdu

$73 9.8%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 75.6% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chengdu

$69 9.2%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 399% $276

Sport & Entertainment

Chengdu

$40 5.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 117% $46

Getting Around

Chengdu

$29 3.9%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 94% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Chengdu and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 300% 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: $22.00 in Chengdu vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $403 per month, with Chengdu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Chengdu

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:21 11:21 AM

22:21 10:21 PM

13 h behind Chengdu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

20,937,757

974,447

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 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 = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.5 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 →

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Between locations

Chengdu Austin, TX 12,860 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chengdu
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

Chengdu vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chengdu wins on cost – living expenses run 268% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chengdu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 300% 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: $471 in Chengdu 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 $734 per month in Chengdu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 268% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chengdu runs roughly 64% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $734 in Chengdu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chengdu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Chengdu 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 Chengdu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 268% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.