Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kota Kinabalu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kota Kinabalu: $917 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Kota Kinabalu
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Kota Kinabalu Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Kota Kinabalu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$917

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $917 in Kota Kinabalu.

Austin, TX $2,704
Kota Kinabalu $917

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

Austin, TX $4,133
Kota Kinabalu $1,429

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,941 in Kota Kinabalu.

Austin, TX $5,562
Kota Kinabalu $1,941

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 195% more expensive than in Kota Kinabalu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Kota Kinabalu is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$3.57 MYR 14.59

466.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$19.54 MYR 79.8

335.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$4.92 MYR 20.09

151.02%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.63 MYR 10.74

107.98%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.60 MYR 2.44

536.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.30 MYR 1.22

733.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.39 MYR 9.75

237.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$3.74 MYR 15.27

140.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.74 MYR 7.11

-35.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.28 MYR 5.23

195.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.26 MYR 9.23

43.81%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$3.46 MYR 14.13

19.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$28.33 MYR 116

-53.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$3.69 MYR 15.05

287.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$6.68 MYR 27.27

138.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.24 MYR 9.15

95.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.43 MYR 5.84

1.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.94 MYR 7.91

134.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.99 MYR 8.13

110.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.67 MYR 6.81

57.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.13 MYR 8.71

10.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.94 MYR 3.84

87.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.47 MYR 1.93

359.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$4.92 MYR 20.10

99.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$15.84 MYR 64.7

-7.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.63 MYR 14.81

-23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.47 MYR 10.07

40.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.91 MYR 7.80

-21.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$41.92 MYR 171

-3.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.91 MYR 7.82

39.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.23 MYR 0.94

586.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.76 MYR 3.11

30.26%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$42.1K MYR 172.1K

-15.04%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.6K MYR 145.5K

-23.74%

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

$219 $219

$70.5 MYR 288

211.11%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$9.69 MYR 39.56

498.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$32.36 MYR 132

111.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$52.3 MYR 214

10.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$3.09 MYR 12.64

379.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$5.22 MYR 21.31

170.69%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$141 MYR 575

971.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$6,995 MYR 28.6K

206.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$81.5 MYR 333

-36.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$36.64 MYR 150

20.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$93.7 MYR 382

-9.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$48.75 MYR 199

116.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$425 MYR 1,735

354.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$193 MYR 788

559.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$679 MYR 2,771

440.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$368 MYR 1,501

586.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$1,848 MYR 7,546

312.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$1,099 MYR 4,489

191.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$592 MYR 2,419

761.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.9

74.10%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Kota Kinabalu

$193 20.9% 84.8% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Kota Kinabalu

$288 31.1% 28.6% $115

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Kota Kinabalu

$98 10.6% 71.9% $250

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Kota Kinabalu

$113 12.2% 67.4% $233

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Kota Kinabalu

$117 12.7% 8.9% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Kota Kinabalu

$63 6.8% 27.2% $23

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Kota Kinabalu

$53 5.7% 7.7% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $425 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 762% 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 $20.00 in Kota Kinabalu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $288 per month, with Kota Kinabalu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Kota Kinabalu

🕒 Local time

07:23 7:23 AM

20:23 8:23 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

500,425

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.219 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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.58 MYR (1 MYR = 0.219 EUR).

MYR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Kota Kinabalu 14,610 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Kota Kinabalu

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 Kinabalu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 195% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Kinabalu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 762% 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $425 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $917 in Kota Kinabalu – a 195% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 3% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $917 in Kota Kinabalu versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Kinabalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $917 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kota Kinabalu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Kota Kinabalu 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 Kinabalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.