Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Taoyuan: $1,200 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Taoyuan
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,200
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,200 in Taoyuan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Taoyuan $1,200
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,816 in Taoyuan versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Taoyuan $1,816
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,433 in Taoyuan versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Taoyuan $2,433
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Taoyuan costs roughly 55% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taoyuan is 11% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.23 NT$137
$20.77 $20.77
-79.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.93 NT$808
$84.6 $84.6
-70.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.74 NT$186
$12.32 $12.32
-53.41%
Cappuccino
$2.97 NT$96.2
$5.63 $5.63
-47.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 NT$33.18
$3.72 $3.72
-72.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 NT$22.97
$2.50 $2.50
-71.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 NT$59.8
$8.05 $8.05
-77.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 NT$74.6
$9.01 $9.01
-74.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.84 NT$92.2
$1.12 $1.12
153.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 NT$39.64
$3.75 $3.75
-67.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.67 NT$86.5
$3.26 $3.26
-18.10%
Eggs
$2.17 NT$70.4
$4.17 $4.17
-47.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.22 NT$299
$12.90 $12.90
-28.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.55 NT$245
$14.16 $14.16
-46.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.09 NT$684
$16.22 $16.22
30.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.83 NT$124
$4.33 $4.33
-11.55%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 NT$66.8
$1.46 $1.46
41.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.11 NT$101
$4.51 $4.51
-31.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.10 NT$101
$4.34 $4.34
-28.57%
Potato (1kg)
$2.47 NT$80.2
$2.58 $2.58
-4.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 NT$65.9
$2.35 $2.35
-13.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.33 NT$75.6
$1.78 $1.78
30.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 NT$28.53
$2.22 $2.22
-60.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.02 NT$163
$9.88 $9.88
-49.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.89 NT$353
$15.08 $15.08
-27.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 NT$46.45
$2.92 $2.92
-51.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 NT$69.9
$3.46 $3.46
-37.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 NT$17.81
$1.49 $1.49
-63.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.07 NT$1,234
$41.72 $41.72
-8.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.74 NT$88.8
$2.73 $2.73
0.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 NT$24.51
$1.66 $1.66
-54.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.99 NT$227
$35.30 $35.30
-80.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 NT$32.37
$0.95 $0.95
5.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K NT$1.1M
$36.0K $36.0K
-8.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K NT$755.7K
$27.1K $27.1K
-13.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.5 NT$2,252
$229 $229
-69.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.72 NT$574
$59.4 $59.4
-70.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.93 NT$711
$69.9 $69.9
-68.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.59 NT$1,089
$57.2 $57.2
-41.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.07 NT$229
$16.33 $16.33
-56.71%
Cinema Ticket
$10.94 NT$355
$14.28 $14.28
-23.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$517 NT$16.8K
$1,506 $1,506
-65.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.3K NT$1.0M
$21.5K $21.5K
45.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.3 NT$2,959
$52.8 $52.8
72.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.83 NT$805
$43.82 $43.82
-43.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.9 NT$2,655
$84.8 $84.8
-3.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.2 NT$3,119
$103 $103
-6.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$646 NT$20.9K
$1,907 $1,907
-66.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$436 NT$14.1K
$1,274 $1,274
-65.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$964 NT$31.2K
$3,664 $3,664
-73.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$729 NT$23.6K
$2,538 $2,538
-71.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,498 NT$243.2K
$7,614 $7,614
-1.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,782 NT$155.1K
$3,157 $3,157
51.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taoyuan
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,549 NT$50.2K
$5,121 $5,121
-69.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.38
6.79
-64.95%

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

Last update for Taoyuan: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Taoyuan
$436
Austin, TX
$1.3K 192% $838
Groceries & Markets
Taoyuan
$313
Austin, TX
$405 29.3% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Taoyuan
$132
Austin, TX
$128 3.3% $4.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taoyuan
$109
Austin, TX
$358 228% $249
Eating Out
Taoyuan
$107
Austin, TX
$354 230% $247
Sport & Entertainment
Taoyuan
$55
Austin, TX
$86 54.7% $30
Getting Around
Taoyuan
$47
Austin, TX
$59 25.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $646 in Taoyuan and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 231% 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: $25.00 in Taoyuan vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $405 per month, with Taoyuan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇼 Taoyuan
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
08:52 8:52 AM
19:52 7:52 PM
13 h behind Taoyuan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,147,763
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Taoyuan Austin, TX 12,590 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Taoyuan
  • 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
Taoyuan vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Taoyuan or Austin, TX?
Taoyuan wins on cost – living expenses run 122% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taoyuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Taoyuan or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 231% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Taoyuan compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $646 in Taoyuan versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Taoyuan compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $1,200 per month in Taoyuan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Taoyuan compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Taoyuan runs roughly 10% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Taoyuan or in Austin, TX?
At $1,200 in Taoyuan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taoyuan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Taoyuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Taoyuan or Austin, TX?
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.
How safe is Taoyuan compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Taoyuan 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Taoyuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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