Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bukit Mertajam

For one person, living is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam: $623 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Bukit Mertajam
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Bukit Mertajam Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Bukit Mertajam

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$623

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bukit Mertajam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Bukit Mertajam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $623 in Bukit Mertajam.

Austin, TX $2,663
Bukit Mertajam $623

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $979 in Bukit Mertajam.

Austin, TX $4,133
Bukit Mertajam $979

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,335 in Bukit Mertajam.

Austin, TX $5,603
Bukit Mertajam $1,335

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 327% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Bukit Mertajam is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$1.93 MYR 7.87

976.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$20.63 MYR 84.2

310.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$3.93 MYR 16.03

213.49%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.14 MYR 12.80

79.30%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.72 MYR 2.93

416.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.47 MYR 1.93

431.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.30 MYR 17.52

87.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.05 MYR 24.69

48.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.74 MYR 7.10

-35.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.12 MYR 4.58

234.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.94 MYR 7.91

68.04%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.52 MYR 10.26

65.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$14.07 MYR 57.4

-8.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.34 MYR 17.71

226.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$9.65 MYR 39.35

68.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.49 MYR 14.24

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.79 MYR 7.32

-18.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.31 MYR 9.42

95.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.53 MYR 6.23

183.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.33 MYR 5.42

93.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.41 MYR 5.76

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.12 MYR 4.57

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.67 MYR 2.72

231.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.32 MYR 17.64

128.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$19.48 MYR 79.5

-22.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.65 MYR 14.91

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.05 MYR 20.60

-31.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.19 MYR 4.84

129.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.25 MYR 5.11

32.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$5.03 MYR 20.50

601.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.87 MYR 3.54

9.20%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$41.2K MYR 168.3K

-12.60%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$34.4K MYR 140.4K

-21.34%

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

$229 $229

$62.4 MYR 255

266.74%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$8.54 MYR 34.85

595.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$26.31 MYR 107

165.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$5.06 MYR 20.65

182.21%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$242 MYR 989

521.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$13.0K MYR 52.9K

65.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$71.6 MYR 292

-26.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$41.95 MYR 171

4.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$87.5 MYR 357

-3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$97.3 MYR 397

5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$567 MYR 2,312

803.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.18

62.44%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Bukit Mertajam

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Bukit Mertajam

$271 43.5% 33% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Bukit Mertajam

$97 15.6% 72.8% $261

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Bukit Mertajam

$103 16.6% 70.8% $251

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Bukit Mertajam

$134 21.5% 4.9% $6.3

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Bukit Mertajam

$10 * 1.6% 88.2% $76

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Bukit Mertajam

$7.5 * 1.2% 87.3% $51

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

Cost Breakdown

Austin, TX pays 804% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $21.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $271 per month, with Bukit Mertajam cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Bukit Mertajam

🕒 Local time

00:26 12:26 AM

13:26 1:26 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

212,329

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

MYR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Bukit Mertajam 15,600 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Bukit Mertajam

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

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

Bukit Mertajam wins on cost – living expenses run 327% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bukit Mertajam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 804% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $242 in Bukit Mertajam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $623 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam 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, Austin, TX and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 327% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.