Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and George Town

For one person, living is cheaper in George Town: $956 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,500 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
46

Cost of Living Index in George Town
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George Town Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

George Town

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in George Town

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 George Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $956 in George Town.

Austin, TX $2,663
George Town $956

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,599 in George Town.

Austin, TX $4,133
George Town $1,599

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,243 in George Town.

Austin, TX $5,603
George Town $2,243

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 179% more expensive than in George Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, George Town is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.41 MYR 13.92

509.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$15.33 MYR 62.5

451.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.55 MYR 18.58

170.77%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.61 MYR 10.66

115.71%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.78 MYR 3.16

376.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.35 MYR 1.43

614.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.42 MYR 9.88

232.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.46 MYR 18.21

102.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.85 MYR 7.56

-39.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.05 MYR 4.28

257.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.68 MYR 6.85

94.05%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.21 MYR 9.03

88.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$13.65 MYR 55.7

-5.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.51 MYR 18.38

213.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$8.49 MYR 34.62

91.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.43 MYR 9.89

78.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.43 MYR 5.84

2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.23 MYR 9.12

102.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.19 MYR 4.86

264.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.93 MYR 3.77

177.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.85 MYR 3.45

176.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.70 MYR 2.87

154.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.57 MYR 2.31

289.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.42 MYR 18.03

123.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$18.74 MYR 76.5

-19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.42 MYR 9.89

20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.59 MYR 14.65

-3.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.47 MYR 1.91

217.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$10.84 MYR 44.24

284.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.24 MYR 5.08

120.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.51 MYR 2.09

225.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$6.87 MYR 28.03

413.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.84 MYR 3.43

13.10%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$42.3K MYR 172.6K

-14.82%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$28.7K MYR 117.0K

-5.63%

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

$229 $229

$36.87 MYR 150

521.07%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$8.21 MYR 33.51

623.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$28.51 MYR 116

145.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$40.21 MYR 164

42.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$5.04 MYR 20.55

224.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.76 MYR 19.43

200.00%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$173 MYR 705

771.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$4,848 MYR 19.8K

342.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$53.1 MYR 216

-0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$34.45 MYR 141

27.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$74.5 MYR 304

13.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$69.8 MYR 285

47.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$505 MYR 2,059

277.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$374 MYR 1,524

241.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$932 MYR 3,804

293.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$992 MYR 4,046

155.92%

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

$1,094 MYR 4,462

368.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.04

68.07%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for George Town: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

George Town

$374 39.1% 70.7% $901

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

George Town

$240 25.1% 40.7% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

George Town

$74 7.7% 79.5% $285

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

George Town

$98 10.2% 72.3% $256

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

George Town

$104 10.9% 18.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

George Town

$50 5.2% 42% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

George Town

$17 1.7% 71.9% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $505 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 368% 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 $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $240 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 George Town

🕒 Local time

13:23 1:23 PM

02:23 2:23 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

794,313

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 17, 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 George Town 15,600 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
George Town

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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town wins on cost – living expenses run 179% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making George Town the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 368% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $505 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $956 in George Town – a 179% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 285% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $956 in George Town versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but George Town delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $956 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes George Town hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 179% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.