Objective To analyze the aesthetic effect of autologous rib cartilage grafting to construct nasal tip cartilage complex in rhinoplasty. Methods A total of 169 patients who underwent rhinoplasty in our hospital from July 2022 to July 2023 were selected and divided into group A and group B according to the random number table method, 84 patients in group A and 85 patients in group B. The patients in group A were treated with nasal plastic surgery. Group A used expanded polytetrafluoroethylene material to construct nasal tip cartilage complex, and group B used autologous costal cartilage material. The postoperative appearance satisfaction, the measurement values of nasolabial angle, nasal facial angle, frontal nasal angle and nasal dorsum height were compared between the two groups. Results The appearance satisfaction of group B was 87.06%, which was higher than 57.14% of group A (P <0.05). After treatment, the nasolabial angle, nasal facial angle and frontal nasal angle in the two groups were higher than those before treatment, and those in the group B were higher than those in the group A (P <0.05). The nasal dorsum height of the two groups after treatment was higher than that before treatment (P <0.05), but there was no significant difference in the nasal dorsum height between the two groups after treatment (P >0.05). Conclusion In rhinoplasty, nasal tip cartilage complex constructed by autologous costal cartilage can improve the appearance satisfaction, increase the nasolabial angle, nasal facial angle, frontal nasal angle and nasal dorsum height.