Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Labuan

For one person, living is cheaper in Labuan: $1,020 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 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
48

Cost of Living Index in Labuan
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Labuan Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Labuan

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,020

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,020 in Labuan.

Austin, TX $2,663
Labuan $1,020

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,487 in Labuan.

Austin, TX $4,133
Labuan $1,487

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,953 in Labuan.

Austin, TX $5,603
Labuan $1,953

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 161% more expensive than in Labuan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Labuan is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$5.52 MYR 22.53

276.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$24.16 MYR 98.6

250.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$6.66 MYR 27.19

84.98%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.93 MYR 16.05

43.26%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.06 MYR 4.34

250.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.45 MYR 1.83

455.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.72 MYR 15.19

116.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.53 MYR 18.48

98.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.82 MYR 7.43

-38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.04 MYR 4.26

260.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.49 MYR 6.07

118.79%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.10 MYR 8.58

98.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$16.82 MYR 68.6

-23.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.42 MYR 18.03

220.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$9.50 MYR 38.76

70.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.17 MYR 12.95

36.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.83 MYR 7.46

-20.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.39 MYR 9.75

88.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.76 MYR 7.17

146.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.39 MYR 5.68

85.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.03 MYR 4.20

128.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.18 MYR 4.81

50.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.54 MYR 2.20

311.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$5.04 MYR 20.57

96.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$16.29 MYR 66.5

-7.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.21 MYR 13.11

-9.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.39 MYR 17.90

-21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.78 MYR 3.17

91.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$10.66 MYR 43.48

291.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.34 MYR 5.47

103.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.48 MYR 1.97

245.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$6.48 MYR 26.43

444.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.88 MYR 3.58

7.95%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$44.0K MYR 179.5K

-18.07%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$32.5K MYR 132.7K

-16.77%

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

$229 $229

$48.90 MYR 199

368.28%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$9.68 MYR 39.49

513.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$27.69 MYR 113

152.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$41.60 MYR 170

37.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$7.68 MYR 31.32

112.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.29 MYR 17.51

232.87%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$208 MYR 849

623.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$7,011 MYR 28.6K

206.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$55.8 MYR 228

-5.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$30.07 MYR 123

45.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$87.0 MYR 355

-2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$81.8 MYR 334

25.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$433 MYR 1,768

340.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$342 MYR 1,397

272.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$641 MYR 2,614

471.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$464 MYR 1,892

447.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,282 MYR 9,308

233.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,136 MYR 4,636

177.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$374 MYR 1,525

1269.71%

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 Labuan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Labuan

$342 33.6% 73.1% $932

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Labuan

$264 25.9% 34.7% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Labuan

$86 8.5% 75.9% $272

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Labuan

$145 14.2% 59% $209

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Labuan

$115 11.2% 10.5% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Labuan

$50 4.9% 41.5% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Labuan

$18 1.7% 70.1% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $433 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1270% 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 $24.00 in Labuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $264 per month, with Labuan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Labuan

🕒 Local time

00:21 12:21 AM

13:21 1:21 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

95,120

💱 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 →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Labuan 14,730 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Labuan

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 Labuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan wins on cost – living expenses run 161% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Labuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1270% 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 $433 in Labuan. 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 $1,020 in Labuan – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Labuan runs roughly 291% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,020 in Labuan versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Labuan but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Labuan 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 Labuan 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 Labuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.