Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Kaohsiung: $1,108 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Kaohsiung
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Kaohsiung Living Index
129

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

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Kaohsiung

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,108

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,108 in Kaohsiung versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Kaohsiung $1,108
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,821 in Kaohsiung versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Kaohsiung $1,821
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,535 in Kaohsiung versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Kaohsiung $2,535
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Kaohsiung costs roughly 59% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kaohsiung is 17% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 NT$174

$20.22 $20.22

-73.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.96 NT$1,020

$85.0 $85.0

-62.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 NT$155

$12.35 $12.35

-60.57%

Cappuccino

$2.83 NT$90.4

$5.47 $5.47

-48.26%

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

$1.14 NT$36.40

$3.82 $3.82

-70.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 NT$22.76

$2.50 $2.50

-71.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 NT$48.85

$8.06 $8.06

-81.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NT$81.5

$8.99 $8.99

-71.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$104

$1.13 $1.13

187.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 NT$69.7

$3.78 $3.78

-42.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$98.1

$3.25 $3.25

-5.54%

Eggs

$2.67 NT$85.2

$4.14 $4.14

-35.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.13 NT$515

$13.08 $13.08

23.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 NT$258

$14.31 $14.31

-43.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 NT$486

$15.96 $15.96

-4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 NT$217

$4.38 $4.38

55.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 NT$90.1

$1.45 $1.45

94.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 NT$82.0

$4.54 $4.54

-43.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 NT$98.4

$4.19 $4.19

-26.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 NT$90.7

$2.63 $2.63

7.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 NT$65.8

$2.36 $2.36

-12.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 NT$78.2

$1.76 $1.76

39.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NT$33.18

$2.16 $2.16

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 NT$145

$9.81 $9.81

-53.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 NT$502

$14.72 $14.72

6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$53.4

$2.78 $2.78

-39.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NT$71.7

$3.48 $3.48

-35.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 NT$21.68

$1.49 $1.49

-54.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.67 NT$404

$40.51 $40.51

-68.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NT$88.0

$2.67 $2.67

3.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.98

$1.58 $1.58

-52.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 NT$176

$35.29 $35.29

-84.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.50

$0.99 $0.99

3.03%

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

$33.6K NT$1.1M

$35.8K $35.8K

-6.04%

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

$23.0K NT$735.3K

$27.2K $27.2K

-15.21%

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

$84.8 NT$2,705

$219 $219

-61.34%

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

$17.34 NT$553

$58.0 $58.0

-70.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.77 NT$822

$68.4 $68.4

-62.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.21 NT$1,315

$57.9 $57.9

-28.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.41 NT$332

$14.82 $14.82

-29.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.96 NT$350

$14.13 $14.13

-22.43%

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

$462 NT$14.7K

$1,509 $1,509

-69.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K NT$449.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

-34.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 NT$2,982

$51.7 $51.7

80.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.88 NT$1,017

$44.05 $44.05

-27.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 NT$2,740

$85.1 $85.1

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,314

$105 $105

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 NT$13.2K

$1,932 $1,932

-78.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 NT$8,808

$1,272 $1,272

-78.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 NT$31.2K

$3,670 $3,670

-73.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 NT$21.3K

$2,525 $2,525

-73.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,588 NT$146.4K

$7,617 $7,617

-39.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,154 NT$100.7K

$3,199 $3,199

-1.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,462 NT$46.7K

$5,105 $5,105

-71.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.56

6.79

-62.30%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kaohsiung

$368 33.1%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 9.6% $35

Accommodation & Living

Kaohsiung

$276 24.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 361% $996

Clothing & Footwear

Kaohsiung

$142 12.8%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 9.2% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kaohsiung

$128 11.5%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 170% $218

Eating Out

Kaohsiung

$112 10.1%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 210% $236

Sport & Entertainment

Kaohsiung

$63 5.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 36.5% $23

Getting Around

Kaohsiung

$22 2%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 160% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Kaohsiung and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 249% 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: $32.00 in Kaohsiung vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $403 per month, with Kaohsiung cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇼 Kaohsiung

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

19:32 7:32 PM

06:32 6:32 AM

13 h behind Kaohsiung

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,777,873

974,447

💱 Currency

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.8 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇼 New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 31.91 TWD (100 TWD = 3.13 USD). 1 EUR = 35.76 TWD (100 TWD = 2.8 EUR).

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

USD to TWD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kaohsiung Austin, TX 12,870 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Kaohsiung
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

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

Kaohsiung wins on cost – living expenses run 144% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kaohsiung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 249% 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: $415 in Kaohsiung 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 $1,108 per month in Kaohsiung versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kaohsiung runs roughly 220% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,108 in Kaohsiung versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaohsiung but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kaohsiung 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, Kaohsiung and Austin, TX 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 Kaohsiung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.