Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Sentul

For one person, living is cheaper in Sentul: $878 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 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
44

Cost of Living Index in Sentul
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Sentul Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Sentul

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$878

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $878 in Sentul.

Austin, TX $2,663
Sentul $878

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,334 in Sentul.

Austin, TX $4,133
Sentul $1,334

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,790 in Sentul.

Austin, TX $5,603
Sentul $1,790

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 203% more expensive than in Sentul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Sentul is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.64 MYR 14.84

470.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$22.09 MYR 90.1

282.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$5.03 MYR 20.53

144.93%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.99 MYR 12.21

88.29%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.83 MYR 3.40

348.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.51 MYR 2.10

390.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.28 MYR 13.38

145.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.87 MYR 23.93

53.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-34.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.03 MYR 4.21

264.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.42 MYR 5.80

129.58%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.74 MYR 7.11

139.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$9.66 MYR 39.39

33.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$3.17 MYR 12.94

346.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$9.45 MYR 38.56

71.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.25 MYR 13.26

33.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.65 MYR 10.81

70.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.60 MYR 6.53

171.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.46 MYR 5.97

76.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.64 MYR 6.70

43.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.32 MYR 5.38

34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.51 MYR 2.08

335.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.16 MYR 16.99

137.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.89 MYR 56.7

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.65 MYR 10.81

10.19%

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

$0.81 MYR 3.31

83.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$12.06 MYR 49.19

245.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.96 MYR 3.91

184.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.38 MYR 1.57

336.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$8.97 MYR 36.60

293.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.87 MYR 3.54

9.20%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$41.2K MYR 168.2K

-12.55%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$32.5K MYR 132.7K

-16.78%

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

$229 $229

$49.70 MYR 203

360.74%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$8.10 MYR 33.04

633.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$27.39 MYR 112

155.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$41.09 MYR 168

39.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$7.45 MYR 30.40

119.19%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$5.04 MYR 20.57

183.33%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$161 MYR 658

834.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$4,446 MYR 18.1K

382.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$50.5 MYR 206

4.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$16.38 MYR 66.8

167.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$77.1 MYR 315

9.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$85.6 MYR 349

20.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$348 MYR 1,419

448.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$282 MYR 1,150

351.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$707 MYR 2,883

418.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$484 MYR 1,976

424.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,147 MYR 8,759

254.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,058 MYR 4,315

198.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$890 MYR 3,631

475.29%

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 Sentul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Sentul

$282 32.1% 77.9% $992

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Sentul

$224 25.6% 44.5% $180

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Sentul

$85 9.7% 76.2% $273

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Sentul

$114 12.9% 67.9% $240

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Sentul

$103 11.8% 19.3% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Sentul

$51 5.8% 40.3% $35

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Sentul

$18 2.1% 69% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $348 in Sentul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 475% 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 $22.00 in Sentul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $224 per month, with Sentul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇾 Sentul

🕒 Local time

00:50 12:50 AM

13:50 1:50 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

100,000

💱 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 Sentul 15,760 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Sentul

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 Sentul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sentul wins on cost – living expenses run 203% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sentul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 475% 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 $348 in Sentul. 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 $878 in Sentul – a 203% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sentul runs roughly 246% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $878 in Sentul versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sentul but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Sentul 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 Sentul 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 Sentul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 203% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.