Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Kajang, Selangor: $988 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Kajang, Selangor
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Kajang, Selangor Living Index
130

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

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Kajang, Selangor

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$988

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $988 in Kajang, Selangor versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Kajang, Selangor $988
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,448 in Kajang, Selangor versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Kajang, Selangor $1,448
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Kajang, Selangor versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Kajang, Selangor $1,909
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Kajang, Selangor costs roughly 63% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kajang, Selangor is 27% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 MYR 15.34

$20.77 $20.77

-81.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.63 MYR 76.0

$84.6 $84.6

-77.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.62

$12.32 $12.32

-60.96%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.09

$5.63 $5.63

-47.42%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.26

$3.72 $3.72

-78.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$2.50 $2.50

-81.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 MYR 17.76

$8.05 $8.05

-45.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 MYR 24.81

$9.01 $9.01

-32.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MYR 6.88

$1.12 $1.12

50.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$3.75 $3.75

-72.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$3.26 $3.26

-56.13%

Eggs

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$4.17 $4.17

-60.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.84 MYR 72.8

$12.90 $12.90

38.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 18.62

$14.16 $14.16

-67.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 MYR 39.98

$16.22 $16.22

-39.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$4.33 $4.33

-21.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.88

$1.46 $1.46

15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 MYR 9.48

$4.51 $4.51

-48.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.23

$4.34 $4.34

-64.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$2.58 $2.58

-48.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.73

$2.35 $2.35

-29.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.60

$1.78 $1.78

-36.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$2.22 $2.22

-77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.79

$9.88 $9.88

-55.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 MYR 56.8

$15.08 $15.08

-7.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.65

$2.92 $2.92

-2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 MYR 12.68

$3.46 $3.46

-10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$1.49 $1.49

-48.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.29 MYR 50.1

$41.72 $41.72

-70.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$2.73 $2.73

-55.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 MYR 2.91

$1.66 $1.66

-57.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 MYR 20.16

$35.30 $35.30

-86.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.35

$0.95 $0.95

-13.68%

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

$42.3K MYR 172.7K

$36.0K $36.0K

17.44%

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

$35.3K MYR 143.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

30.26%

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

$52.5 MYR 214

$229 $229

-77.09%

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

$9.92 MYR 40.45

$59.4 $59.4

-83.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.35 MYR 107

$69.9 $69.9

-62.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 MYR 183

$57.2 $57.2

-21.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.53 MYR 30.73

$16.33 $16.33

-53.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 20.05

$14.28 $14.28

-65.62%

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

$166 MYR 677

$1,506 $1,506

-88.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,418 MYR 18.0K

$21.5K $21.5K

-79.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 223

$52.8 $52.8

3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.33 MYR 66.6

$43.82 $43.82

-62.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 MYR 333

$84.8 $84.8

-3.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 MYR 396

$103 $103

-5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 MYR 1,615

$1,907 $1,907

-79.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 MYR 1,375

$1,274 $1,274

-73.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 MYR 3,035

$3,664 $3,664

-79.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 MYR 2,047

$2,538 $2,538

-80.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,919 MYR 7,828

$7,614 $7,614

-74.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,012 MYR 4,129

$3,157 $3,157

-67.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

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 Kajang, Selangor: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kajang, Selangor

$337 34.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 278% $937

Groceries & Markets

Kajang, Selangor

$256 25.9%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 58.1% $149

Eating Out

Kajang, Selangor

$119 12.1%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 197% $235

Clothing & Footwear

Kajang, Selangor

$112 11.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 13.9% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kajang, Selangor

$89 9%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 304% $270

Sport & Entertainment

Kajang, Selangor

$55 5.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 57% $31

Getting Around

Kajang, Selangor

$20 2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 192% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $396 in Kajang, Selangor and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $405 per month, with Kajang, Selangor cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kajang, Selangor

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

15:02 3:02 PM

02:02 2:02 AM

13 h behind Kajang, Selangor

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,047,356

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 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kajang, Selangor Austin, TX 15,770 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Kajang, Selangor
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

Kajang, Selangor vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kajang, Selangor wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kajang, Selangor the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,482 in Kajang, Selangor and $3,995 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $396 in Kajang, Selangor 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 $988 per month in Kajang, Selangor versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kajang, Selangor runs roughly 239% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $988 in Kajang, Selangor versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kajang, Selangor but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kajang, Selangor 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, Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.