Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sarawak

For one person, living is cheaper in Sarawak: $933 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,200 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 Sarawak
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Sarawak Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Sarawak

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$933

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $933 in Sarawak.

Austin, TX $2,698
Sarawak $933

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,391 in Sarawak.

Austin, TX $4,160
Sarawak $1,391

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $1,849 in Sarawak.

Austin, TX $5,622
Sarawak $1,849

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 189% more expensive than in Sarawak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Sarawak is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$3.65 MYR 14.88

465.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$19.77 MYR 80.6

327.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$4.75 MYR 19.38

154.11%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.88 MYR 11.74

90.28%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$0.81 MYR 3.29

369.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.39 MYR 1.61

533.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.60 MYR 14.68

123.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$4.61 MYR 18.81

92.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.86 MYR 7.58

-40.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.04 MYR 4.24

257.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.48 MYR 6.04

127.70%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.04 MYR 8.32

111.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$13.84 MYR 56.5

-5.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$4.30 MYR 17.54

229.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$9.43 MYR 38.47

73.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.14 MYR 12.83

44.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.71 MYR 6.97

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.51 MYR 10.22

87.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.61 MYR 6.55

157.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.27 MYR 5.18

103.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.15 MYR 4.68

104.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.17 MYR 4.79

51.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.53 MYR 2.18

303.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$4.54 MYR 18.52

122.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$19.12 MYR 78.0

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.94 MYR 12.01

-4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.51 MYR 18.38

-23.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.71 MYR 2.89

116.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$12.15 MYR 49.57

237.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.25 MYR 5.10

124.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.51 MYR 2.07

213.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$7.21 MYR 29.41

376.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.82 MYR 3.34

14.63%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$42.2K MYR 172.1K

-19.46%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$34.8K MYR 141.8K

-23.01%

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

$223 $223

$48.56 MYR 198

358.50%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$9.65 MYR 39.38

510.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$27.71 MYR 113

154.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$40.76 MYR 166

41.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$7.10 MYR 28.98

132.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$4.92 MYR 20.05

189.84%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$190 MYR 775

695.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$7,067 MYR 28.8K

195.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$56.8 MYR 232

-9.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$34.52 MYR 141

27.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$79.8 MYR 325

9.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$75.9 MYR 310

37.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$410 MYR 1,674

372.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$299 MYR 1,219

340.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$672 MYR 2,742

445.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$477 MYR 1,946

437.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,042 MYR 8,329

260.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,074 MYR 4,381

191.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$339 MYR 1,381

1461.69%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Sarawak

$299 32% 77.3% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Sarawak

$258 27.6% 36.5% $148

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Sarawak

$86 9.2% 75.6% $266

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Sarawak

$110 11.8% 68.6% $240

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Sarawak

$111 11.9% 13.9% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Sarawak

$51 5.4% 41.3% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Sarawak

$19 2% 67.6% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $410 in Sarawak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1462% 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 Sarawak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $258 per month, with Sarawak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Sarawak

🕒 Local time

10:32 10:32 AM

23:32 11:32 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

💱 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 20, 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 Sarawak 15,390 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Sarawak

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 Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarawak wins on cost – living expenses run 189% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sarawak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1462% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $410 in Sarawak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $933 in Sarawak – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarawak runs roughly 237% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $933 in Sarawak versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sarawak but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sarawak 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 Sarawak 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 Sarawak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 189% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.