Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kota Bharu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kota Bharu: $692 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,700 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
34

Cost of Living Index in Kota Bharu
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Kota Bharu Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Kota Bharu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Kota Bharu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $692 in Kota Bharu.

Austin, TX $2,663
Kota Bharu $692

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,072 in Kota Bharu.

Austin, TX $4,133
Kota Bharu $1,072

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,452 in Kota Bharu.

Austin, TX $5,603
Kota Bharu $1,452

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 285% more expensive than in Kota Bharu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Kota Bharu is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$2.18 MYR 8.90

852.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$19.41 MYR 79.2

335.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.58 MYR 18.70

169.00%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.18 MYR 8.89

158.26%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.48 MYR 1.94

675.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.26 MYR 1.05

861.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.24 MYR 17.29

89.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.49 MYR 18.33

100.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.62 MYR 6.62

-30.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.92 MYR 3.74

307.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$0.83 MYR 3.39

292.77%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.61 MYR 6.58

159.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$13.74 MYR 56.1

-6.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$2.94 MYR 12.00

381.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$6.65 MYR 27.13

143.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.91 MYR 11.88

48.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.73 MYR 11.15

65.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.13 MYR 4.60

284.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.97 MYR 3.94

165.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.12 MYR 4.59

109.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.14 MYR 4.64

56.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.45 MYR 1.84

393.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.34 MYR 13.61

195.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$19.00 MYR 77.5

-20.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.91 MYR 11.88

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.32 MYR 21.71

-34.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.77 MYR 3.12

93.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$12.33 MYR 50.3

238.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.73 MYR 7.05

57.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.37 MYR 1.53

348.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$3.69 MYR 15.04

856.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.52 MYR 2.14

82.69%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$31.5K MYR 128.5K

14.49%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$29.0K MYR 118.2K

-6.54%

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

$229 $229

$37.43 MYR 153

511.78%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$8.65 MYR 35.27

586.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$25.39 MYR 104

175.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$49.63 MYR 202

15.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.48 MYR 18.26

218.75%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$125 MYR 508

1109.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

98.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$54.5 MYR 222

-3.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$19.29 MYR 78.7

127.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$79.0 MYR 322

7.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$69.6 MYR 284

47.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$248 MYR 1,010

670.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$122 MYR 499

940.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$673 MYR 2,745

444.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$224 MYR 913

1034.17%

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

$299 MYR 1,221

1610.98%

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 Kota Bharu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Kota Bharu

$122 17.7% 90.4% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Kota Bharu

$230 33.2% 43.3% $175

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Kota Bharu

$71 10.3% 80.1% $287

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Kota Bharu

$90 13.1% 74.4% $263

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Kota Bharu

$100 14.5% 21.8% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Kota Bharu

$59 8.5% 31.7% $27

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Kota Bharu

$19 2.8% 67.6% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $248 in Kota Bharu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1611% 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 Kota Bharu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $230 per month, with Kota Bharu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Kota Bharu

🕒 Local time

19:09 7:09 PM

08:09 8:09 AM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

568,900

💱 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 Kota Bharu 15,440 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Kota Bharu

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 Kota Bharu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota Bharu wins on cost – living expenses run 285% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Bharu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1611% 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 $248 in Kota Bharu. 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 $692 in Kota Bharu – a 285% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Bharu runs roughly 238% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $692 in Kota Bharu versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Bharu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Bharu 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 Kota Bharu 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 Kota Bharu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 285% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.