Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Johor Bahru

For one person, living is cheaper in Johor Bahru: $1,056 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Johor Bahru
Learn more

Johor Bahru Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Johor Bahru

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,056

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Johor Bahru

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,056 in Johor Bahru.

Austin, TX $2,663
Johor Bahru $1,056

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,551 in Johor Bahru.

Austin, TX $4,133
Johor Bahru $1,551

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,046 in Johor Bahru.

Austin, TX $5,603
Johor Bahru $2,046

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 152% more expensive than in Johor Bahru, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Johor Bahru is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.56 MYR 14.53

483.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$18.68 MYR 76.2

352.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.93 MYR 20.11

149.90%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.86 MYR 11.67

96.85%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.84 MYR 3.45

342.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.55 MYR 2.25

354.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.54 MYR 18.52

77.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.20 MYR 25.31

45.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.66 MYR 6.79

-32.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.11 MYR 4.52

237.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.50 MYR 6.13

117.33%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.72 MYR 7.00

142.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$17.86 MYR 72.9

-27.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.56 MYR 18.58

210.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$10.49 MYR 42.80

54.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.26 MYR 13.28

32.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.70 MYR 6.94

-14.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.91 MYR 15.96

15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.68 MYR 6.86

158.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.47 MYR 6.00

75.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.65 MYR 6.74

42.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.32 MYR 5.37

34.85%

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

$4.17 MYR 17.01

136.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.98 MYR 57.1

7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.84 MYR 11.59

2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.11 MYR 12.68

11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.71 MYR 2.90

109.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$12.11 MYR 49.42

244.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.96 MYR 3.90

184.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.70 MYR 2.85

137.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$9.50 MYR 38.75

271.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.83 MYR 3.40

14.46%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$41.1K MYR 167.8K

-12.34%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$36.1K MYR 147.2K

-24.98%

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

$229 $229

$53.0 MYR 216

331.81%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$10.99 MYR 44.84

440.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$28.42 MYR 116

145.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$39.45 MYR 161

45.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$5.63 MYR 22.97

190.05%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.92 MYR 20.08

190.24%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$161 MYR 658

832.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$4,478 MYR 18.3K

379.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$54.2 MYR 221

-2.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$16.54 MYR 67.5

164.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$81.5 MYR 332

4.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$97.3 MYR 397

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$517 MYR 2,109

268.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$397 MYR 1,620

220.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$900 MYR 3,673

307.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$624 MYR 2,548

306.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,019 MYR 8,238

277.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,167 MYR 4,759

170.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$1,060 MYR 4,325

383.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.06

67.24%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Johor Bahru

$397 37.6% 68.8% $877

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Johor Bahru

$267 25.3% 34% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Johor Bahru

$92 8.8% 74.2% $266

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Johor Bahru

$118 11.2% 66.6% $236

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Johor Bahru

$112 10.6% 12.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Johor Bahru

$49 4.7% 42.5% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Johor Bahru

$19 1.8% 66.9% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $517 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 383% 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 $19.00 in Johor Bahru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $267 per month, with Johor Bahru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Johor Bahru

🕒 Local time

23:48 11:48 PM

12:48 12:48 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

858,118

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Johor Bahru 15,810 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Johor Bahru

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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru wins on cost – living expenses run 152% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Johor Bahru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 383% 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 $517 in Johor Bahru. 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 $1,056 in Johor Bahru – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Johor Bahru runs roughly 245% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,056 in Johor Bahru versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Johor Bahru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,056 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Johor Bahru hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.