Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shantou and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Shantou: $692 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Shantou
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Shantou Living Index
130

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

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Shantou

🇨🇳 China

$692

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $692 in Shantou versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Shantou $692
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,104 in Shantou versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Shantou $1,104
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,516 in Shantou versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Shantou $1,516
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Shantou costs roughly 74% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shantou is 49% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ¥15.35

$20.77 $20.77

-88.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.70 ¥158

$84.6 $84.6

-71.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.17 ¥34.59

$12.32 $12.32

-58.04%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.63

$5.63 $5.63

-39.96%

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

$0.47 ¥3.12

$3.72 $3.72

-87.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$2.50 $2.50

-87.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ¥5.92

$8.05 $8.05

-89.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.28

$9.01 $9.01

-76.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥10.71

$1.12 $1.12

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.73

$3.75 $3.75

-61.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$3.26 $3.26

-76.38%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.33

$4.17 $4.17

-59.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.63 ¥91.1

$12.90 $12.90

5.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ¥22.91

$14.16 $14.16

-75.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 ¥88.0

$16.22 $16.22

-18.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ¥13.03

$4.33 $4.33

-54.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.05

$1.46 $1.46

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.14

$4.51 $4.51

-59.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.70

$4.34 $4.34

-70.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.49

$2.58 $2.58

-68.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.11

$2.35 $2.35

-54.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥3.96

$1.78 $1.78

-66.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$2.22 $2.22

-80.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 ¥24.71

$9.88 $9.88

-62.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.00 ¥80.2

$15.08 $15.08

-20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.57

$2.92 $2.92

-71.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ¥11.98

$3.46 $3.46

-48.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$1.49 $1.49

-75.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.27 ¥162

$41.72 $41.72

-41.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ¥10.24

$2.73 $2.73

-43.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$1.66 $1.66

-77.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.31 ¥48.86

$35.30 $35.30

-79.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.25

$0.95 $0.95

29.47%

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

$19.8K ¥132.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-45.09%

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

$18.0K ¥120.5K

$27.1K $27.1K

-33.44%

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

$56.7 ¥379

$229 $229

-75.26%

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

$8.89 ¥59.5

$59.4 $59.4

-85.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.86 ¥92.7

$69.9 $69.9

-80.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ¥50.5

$14.28 $14.28

-47.20%

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

$540 ¥3,614

$1,506 $1,506

-64.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K ¥162.1K

$21.5K $21.5K

12.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 ¥372

$52.8 $52.8

5.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 ¥265

$43.82 $43.82

-9.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 ¥489

$84.8 $84.8

-13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 ¥611

$103 $103

-11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 ¥1,991

$1,907 $1,907

-84.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 ¥1,011

$1,274 $1,274

-88.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 ¥4,027

$3,664 $3,664

-83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ¥1,969

$2,538 $2,538

-88.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,278 ¥15.2K

$7,614 $7,614

-70.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,469 ¥29.9K

$3,157 $3,157

41.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ¥7,099

$5,121 $5,121

-79.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

6.79

-50.66%

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

Last update for Shantou: October 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Shantou

$214 31%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 88.8% $190

Accommodation & Living

Shantou

$151 21.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 743% $1.1K

Clothing & Footwear

Shantou

$117 16.9%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 9.5% $11

Eating Out

Shantou

$86 12.5%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 310% $268

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shantou

$79 11.5%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 351% $279

Getting Around

Shantou

$29 4.2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 101% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Shantou

$15 * 2.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 469% $71

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $298 in Shantou and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 382% 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: $24.00 in Shantou vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $405 per month, with Shantou cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shantou

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

17:32 5:32 PM

04:32 4:32 AM

13 h behind Shantou

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,389,328

974,447

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 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 15, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

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Between locations

Shantou Austin, TX 13,010 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Shantou
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

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

Shantou wins on cost – living expenses run 285% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shantou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 382% 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: $298 in Shantou versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $692 per month in Shantou versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 285% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Shantou runs roughly 72% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $692 in Shantou versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shantou but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Shantou 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 Shantou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 285% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.