Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Gombak

For one person, living is cheaper in Gombak: $927 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,800 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
45

Cost of Living Index in Gombak
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Gombak Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Gombak

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$927

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Gombak

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $927 in Gombak.

Austin, TX $2,663
Gombak $927

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,429 in Gombak.

Austin, TX $4,133
Gombak $1,429

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,931 in Gombak.

Austin, TX $5,603
Gombak $1,931

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 187% more expensive than in Gombak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Gombak is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.71 MYR 15.12

459.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$24.58 MYR 100

244.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.96 MYR 20.23

148.39%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.98 MYR 12.15

88.93%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.92 MYR 3.74

304.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.42 MYR 1.69

495.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.23 MYR 13.16

149.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.79 MYR 23.63

55.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-40.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.03 MYR 4.19

264.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.42 MYR 5.80

129.58%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.85 MYR 7.55

125.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$10.03 MYR 40.93

28.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$3.27 MYR 13.34

333.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$9.82 MYR 40.06

65.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.52 MYR 14.37

23.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.91 MYR 7.81

-23.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.64 MYR 10.79

70.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.82 MYR 7.44

138.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.08 MYR 8.50

24.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.98 MYR 8.08

18.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.48 MYR 6.04

20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.55 MYR 2.24

303.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.41 MYR 17.97

124.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$19.70 MYR 80.4

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.64 MYR 10.78

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.67 MYR 19.04

-25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.67 MYR 2.73

122.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$12.05 MYR 49.15

246.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.23 MYR 5.03

121.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.35 MYR 1.44

374.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$8.72 MYR 35.57

304.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.80 MYR 3.27

18.75%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$42.6K MYR 173.6K

-15.30%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$32.0K MYR 130.6K

-15.43%

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

$229 $229

$49.80 MYR 203

359.82%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$8.34 MYR 34.02

612.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$27.39 MYR 112

155.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$40.60 MYR 166

40.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$7.17 MYR 29.23

127.75%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$3.26 MYR 13.29

338.04%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$274 MYR 1,120

448.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$10.4K MYR 42.3K

106.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$50.4 MYR 206

4.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$30.06 MYR 123

45.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$76.4 MYR 312

10.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$86.2 MYR 352

19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$405 MYR 1,650

371.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$303 MYR 1,235

320.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$682 MYR 2,781

437.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$554 MYR 2,261

358.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,059 MYR 8,400

269.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,053 MYR 4,295

199.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$538 MYR 2,193

852.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.51

50.55%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Gombak: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Gombak

$303 32.7% 76.2% $971

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Gombak

$252 27.1% 37.8% $153

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Gombak

$86 9.2% 76.1% $273

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Gombak

$113 12.2% 68% $241

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Gombak

$109 11.8% 14.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Gombak

$47 5.1% 45.1% $39

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Gombak

$18 1.9% 69.8% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $405 in Gombak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 853% 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 $25.00 in Gombak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $252 per month, with Gombak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Gombak

🕒 Local time

00:53 12:53 AM

13:53 1:53 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

41,699

💱 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 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 →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Gombak 15,750 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Gombak

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 Gombak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gombak wins on cost – living expenses run 187% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gombak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 853% 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 $405 in Gombak. 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 $927 in Gombak – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gombak runs roughly 246% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $927 in Gombak versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gombak but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Gombak 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 Gombak 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 Gombak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 187% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.