Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kajang, Selangor

For one person, living is cheaper in Kajang, Selangor: $988 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 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 Kajang, Selangor
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Kajang, Selangor Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Kajang, Selangor

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$988

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Kajang, Selangor

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $988 in Kajang, Selangor.

Austin, TX $2,663
Kajang, Selangor $988

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,448 in Kajang, Selangor.

Austin, TX $4,133
Kajang, Selangor $1,448

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,909 in Kajang, Selangor.

Austin, TX $5,603
Kajang, Selangor $1,909

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 170% more expensive than in Kajang, Selangor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Kajang, Selangor is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.76 MYR 15.34

452.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$18.63 MYR 76.0

354.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.81 MYR 19.62

156.13%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.96 MYR 12.09

90.20%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.80 MYR 3.26

365.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.47 MYR 1.92

431.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.35 MYR 17.76

85.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.08 MYR 24.81

48.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.69 MYR 6.88

-33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.05 MYR 4.28

257.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.43 MYR 5.84

127.97%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.66 MYR 6.78

151.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$17.84 MYR 72.8

-27.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.56 MYR 18.62

210.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$9.80 MYR 39.98

65.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.41 MYR 13.91

26.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.69 MYR 6.88

-13.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.32 MYR 9.48

94.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.53 MYR 6.23

183.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.34 MYR 5.46

92.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.65 MYR 6.73

42.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.13 MYR 4.60

57.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.51 MYR 2.09

335.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.36 MYR 17.79

126.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.93 MYR 56.8

8.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.86 MYR 11.65

2.10%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.08

96.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$12.29 MYR 50.1

239.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.21 MYR 4.92

125.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.71 MYR 2.91

133.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$4.94 MYR 20.16

614.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.82 MYR 3.35

15.85%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$42.3K MYR 172.7K

-14.85%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.3K MYR 143.9K

-23.23%

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

$229 $229

$52.5 MYR 214

336.42%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$9.92 MYR 40.45

498.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$26.35 MYR 107

165.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$44.80 MYR 183

27.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$7.53 MYR 30.73

116.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.91 MYR 20.05

190.84%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$166 MYR 677

807.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$4,418 MYR 18.0K

385.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$54.6 MYR 223

-3.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$16.33 MYR 66.6

168.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$81.6 MYR 333

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$97.2 MYR 396

5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$396 MYR 1,615

381.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$337 MYR 1,375

278.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$744 MYR 3,035

392.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$502 MYR 2,047

405.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,919 MYR 7,828

296.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,012 MYR 4,129

211.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

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 Kajang, Selangor: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Kajang, Selangor

$337 34.1% 73.6% $937

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Kajang, Selangor

$256 25.9% 36.8% $149

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Kajang, Selangor

$89 9% 75.2% $270

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Kajang, Selangor

$119 12.1% 66.4% $235

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Kajang, Selangor

$112 11.4% 12.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Kajang, Selangor

$55 5.5% 36.3% $31

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Kajang, Selangor

$20 2% 65.8% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $396 in Kajang, Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $256 per month, with Kajang, Selangor cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Kajang, Selangor

🕒 Local time

02:43 2:43 AM

15:43 3:43 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

1,047,356

💱 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 →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Kajang, Selangor 15,770 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Kajang, Selangor

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 Kajang, Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kajang, Selangor wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kajang, Selangor the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $1,482 in Kajang, Selangor to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $396 in Kajang, Selangor. 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 $988 in Kajang, Selangor – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kajang, Selangor runs roughly 239% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $988 in Kajang, Selangor versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kajang, Selangor but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.