Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Qingdao, Shandong and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Qingdao, Shandong: $756 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Qingdao, Shandong
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Qingdao, Shandong Living Index
129

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

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Qingdao, Shandong

🇨🇳 China

$756

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $756 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Qingdao, Shandong $756
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,233 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Qingdao, Shandong $1,233
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,709 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Qingdao, Shandong $1,709
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Qingdao, Shandong costs roughly 72% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Qingdao, Shandong is 44% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 ¥19.43

$20.22 $20.22

-85.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.98 ¥120

$85.0 $85.0

-78.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.46 ¥29.79

$12.35 $12.35

-63.89%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ¥17.78

$5.47 $5.47

-51.37%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$3.82 $3.82

-85.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ¥2.15

$2.50 $2.50

-87.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ¥7.42

$8.06 $8.06

-86.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ¥17.82

$8.99 $8.99

-70.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ¥12.73

$1.13 $1.13

69.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ¥9.05

$3.78 $3.78

-64.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.50

$3.25 $3.25

-70.15%

Eggs

$1.29 ¥8.63

$4.14 $4.14

-68.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.27 ¥109

$13.08 $13.08

24.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 ¥29.12

$14.31 $14.31

-69.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ¥64.6

$15.96 $15.96

-39.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.43

$4.38 $4.38

-67.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ¥7.99

$1.45 $1.45

-17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.55

$4.54 $4.54

-61.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.39

$4.19 $4.19

-69.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.53

$2.63 $2.63

-74.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.44

$2.36 $2.36

-59.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ¥6.26

$1.76 $1.76

-46.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.09

$2.16 $2.16

-71.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 ¥25.34

$9.81 $9.81

-61.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.69 ¥98.2

$14.72 $14.72

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥6.75

$2.78 $2.78

-63.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.50

$3.48 $3.48

-54.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$1.49 $1.49

-79.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.25 ¥122

$40.51 $40.51

-54.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ¥10.03

$2.67 $2.67

-43.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$1.58 $1.58

-74.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.5

$35.29 $35.29

-74.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.74

$0.99 $0.99

32.32%

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

$19.1K ¥127.4K

$35.8K $35.8K

-46.78%

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

$16.6K ¥110.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

-39.06%

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

$69.2 ¥463

$219 $219

-68.43%

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

$6.73 ¥44.95

$58.0 $58.0

-88.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.73 ¥51.7

$68.4 $68.4

-88.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.95 ¥140

$57.9 $57.9

-63.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 ¥122

$14.82 $14.82

22.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥41.79

$14.13 $14.13

-55.77%

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

$365 ¥2,439

$1,509 $1,509

-75.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K ¥117.4K

$21.5K $21.5K

-18.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 ¥351

$51.7 $51.7

1.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.25 ¥329

$44.05 $44.05

11.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 ¥628

$85.1 $85.1

10.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥609

$105 $105

-13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ¥2,362

$1,932 $1,932

-81.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 ¥1,328

$1,272 $1,272

-84.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 ¥5,056

$3,670 $3,670

-79.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ¥2,796

$2,525 $2,525

-83.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,573 ¥23.9K

$7,617 $7,617

-53.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,172 ¥14.5K

$3,199 $3,199

-32.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 ¥7,995

$5,105 $5,105

-76.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

6.79

-50.37%

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

Last update for Qingdao, Shandong: October 6, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Qingdao, Shandong

$221 28.7%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 82.1% $182

Accommodation & Living

Qingdao, Shandong

$199 25.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 540% $1.1K

Clothing & Footwear

Qingdao, Shandong

$129 16.7%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 0.2% $0.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Qingdao, Shandong

$84 10.8%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 313% $262

Eating Out

Qingdao, Shandong

$83 10.7%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 320% $265

Sport & Entertainment

Qingdao, Shandong

$33 4.3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 158% $53

Getting Around

Qingdao, Shandong

$23 3%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 147% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Qingdao, Shandong and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 327% 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: $18.00 in Qingdao, Shandong vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $403 per month, with Qingdao, Shandong cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Qingdao, Shandong

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

17:55 5:55 PM

04:55 4:55 AM

13 h behind Qingdao, Shandong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,071,722

974,447

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 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 = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 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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Highest

Between locations

Qingdao, Shandong Austin, TX 11,630 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Qingdao, Shandong
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

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

Qingdao, Shandong wins on cost – living expenses run 258% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Qingdao, Shandong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 327% 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: $353 in Qingdao, Shandong 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 $756 per month in Qingdao, Shandong versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 258% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Qingdao, Shandong runs roughly 122% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $756 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Qingdao, Shandong but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Qingdao, Shandong 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 Qingdao, Shandong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 258% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.