Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Johor Bahru: $1,056 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Johor Bahru
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Johor Bahru Living Index
130

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

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Johor Bahru

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,056

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Johor Bahru and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Johor Bahru and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,056 in Johor Bahru versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Johor Bahru $1,056
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Johor Bahru versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Johor Bahru $1,551
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,046 in Johor Bahru versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Johor Bahru $2,046
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 60% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Johor Bahru is 22% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.53

$20.77 $20.77

-82.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 MYR 76.2

$84.6 $84.6

-77.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 20.11

$12.32 $12.32

-59.98%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.67

$5.63 $5.63

-49.20%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$3.72 $3.72

-77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$2.50 $2.50

-78.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 MYR 18.52

$8.05 $8.05

-43.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 MYR 25.31

$9.01 $9.01

-31.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.79

$1.12 $1.12

48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$3.75 $3.75

-70.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$3.26 $3.26

-53.99%

Eggs

$1.72 MYR 7.00

$4.17 $4.17

-58.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.86 MYR 72.9

$12.90 $12.90

38.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 18.58

$14.16 $14.16

-67.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 MYR 42.80

$16.22 $16.22

-35.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.28

$4.33 $4.33

-24.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.94

$1.46 $1.46

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 MYR 15.96

$4.51 $4.51

-13.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$4.34 $4.34

-61.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.00

$2.58 $2.58

-43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.74

$2.35 $2.35

-29.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.78 $1.78

-25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.24

$2.22 $2.22

-75.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.01

$9.88 $9.88

-57.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 MYR 57.1

$15.08 $15.08

-7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 MYR 11.59

$2.92 $2.92

-2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 MYR 12.68

$3.46 $3.46

-10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$1.49 $1.49

-52.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.11 MYR 49.42

$41.72 $41.72

-70.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.90

$2.73 $2.73

-64.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$1.66 $1.66

-57.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 MYR 38.75

$35.30 $35.30

-73.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 MYR 3.40

$0.95 $0.95

-12.63%

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

$41.1K MYR 167.8K

$36.0K $36.0K

14.07%

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

$36.1K MYR 147.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

33.29%

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

$53.0 MYR 216

$229 $229

-76.84%

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

$10.99 MYR 44.84

$59.4 $59.4

-81.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.42 MYR 116

$69.9 $69.9

-59.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 MYR 161

$57.2 $57.2

-31.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.63 MYR 22.97

$16.33 $16.33

-65.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 20.08

$14.28 $14.28

-65.55%

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

$161 MYR 658

$1,506 $1,506

-89.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,478 MYR 18.3K

$21.5K $21.5K

-79.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 MYR 221

$52.8 $52.8

2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.54 MYR 67.5

$43.82 $43.82

-62.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 MYR 332

$84.8 $84.8

-3.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 MYR 397

$103 $103

-5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 MYR 2,109

$1,907 $1,907

-72.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,620

$1,274 $1,274

-68.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 MYR 3,673

$3,664 $3,664

-75.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 MYR 2,548

$2,538 $2,538

-75.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,019 MYR 8,238

$7,614 $7,614

-73.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,167 MYR 4,759

$3,157 $3,157

-63.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,325

$5,121 $5,121

-79.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

6.79

-40.21%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: October 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Johor Bahru

$397 37.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 221% $877

Groceries & Markets

Johor Bahru

$267 25.3%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 51.6% $138

Eating Out

Johor Bahru

$118 11.2%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 199% $236

Clothing & Footwear

Johor Bahru

$112 10.6%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 13.9% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Johor Bahru

$92 8.8%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 288% $266

Sport & Entertainment

Johor Bahru

$49 4.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 74% $36

Getting Around

Johor Bahru

$19 1.8%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 203% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Johor Bahru and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 383% 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: $19.00 in Johor Bahru vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $405 per month, with Johor Bahru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Johor Bahru

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

12:04 12:04 PM

23:04 11:04 PM

13 h behind Johor Bahru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

858,118

974,447

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Johor Bahru Austin, TX 15,810 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Johor Bahru
Austin, TX

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

Johor Bahru vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru wins on cost – living expenses run 152% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Johor Bahru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 383% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $517 in Johor Bahru versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,056 per month in Johor Bahru versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Johor Bahru runs roughly 245% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,056 in Johor Bahru versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Johor Bahru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,056 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Johor Bahru hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Johor Bahru and Austin, TX 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.