Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuching: $887 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Kuching
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Kuching Living Index
129

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

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Kuching

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$887

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $887 in Kuching versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Kuching $887
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,389 in Kuching versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Kuching $1,389
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,892 in Kuching versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Kuching $1,892
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Kuching costs roughly 67% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuching is 34% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 MYR 13.60

$20.22 $20.22

-83.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.53 MYR 100

$85.0 $85.0

-71.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 MYR 19.89

$12.35 $12.35

-60.57%

Cappuccino

$3.17 MYR 12.93

$5.47 $5.47

-42.05%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$3.82 $3.82

-80.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$2.50 $2.50

-85.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 MYR 18.43

$8.06 $8.06

-44.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 MYR 25.15

$8.99 $8.99

-31.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 MYR 9.42

$1.13 $1.13

104.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 MYR 5.16

$3.78 $3.78

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$3.25 $3.25

-64.62%

Eggs

$2.46 MYR 10.03

$4.14 $4.14

-40.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 MYR 44.72

$13.08 $13.08

-16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 MYR 18.17

$14.31 $14.31

-68.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MYR 40.42

$15.96 $15.96

-37.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MYR 12.93

$4.38 $4.38

-27.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.59

$1.45 $1.45

-5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$4.54 $4.54

-47.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.42

$4.19 $4.19

-56.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.75

$2.63 $2.63

-46.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$2.36 $2.36

-49.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 MYR 6.35

$1.76 $1.76

-11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$2.16 $2.16

-75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 MYR 18.41

$9.81 $9.81

-54.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.59 MYR 88.2

$14.72 $14.72

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.06 MYR 16.58

$2.78 $2.78

46.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 MYR 21.19

$3.48 $3.48

49.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MYR 2.37

$1.49 $1.49

-61.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.36 MYR 50.5

$40.51 $40.51

-69.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 MYR 4.09

$2.67 $2.67

-62.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.58 $1.58

-21.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.32 MYR 33.99

$35.29 $35.29

-76.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 MYR 3.68

$0.99 $0.99

-9.09%

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

$40.9K MYR 167.2K

$35.8K $35.8K

14.37%

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

$36.1K MYR 147.4K

$27.2K $27.2K

32.87%

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

$35.18 MYR 144

$219 $219

-83.96%

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

$9.95 MYR 40.63

$58.0 $58.0

-82.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.26 MYR 103

$68.4 $68.4

-63.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.24 MYR 123

$57.9 $57.9

-47.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.38 MYR 50.6

$14.82 $14.82

-16.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 MYR 19.72

$14.13 $14.13

-65.82%

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

$135 MYR 551

$1,509 $1,509

-91.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,000 MYR 28.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

-67.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 MYR 258

$51.7 $51.7

22.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 MYR 154

$44.05 $44.05

-14.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 MYR 368

$85.1 $85.1

5.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 MYR 269

$105 $105

-37.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,471

$1,932 $1,932

-81.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 MYR 1,001

$1,272 $1,272

-80.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,642

$3,670 $3,670

-82.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MYR 1,953

$2,525 $2,525

-81.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,073 MYR 8,464

$7,617 $7,617

-72.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,508 MYR 6,157

$3,199 $3,199

-52.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,165

$5,105 $5,105

-89.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

6.79

-35.64%

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

Last update for Kuching: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kuching

$271 30.7%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 48.7% $132

Accommodation & Living

Kuching

$245 27.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 419% $1K

Eating Out

Kuching

$119 13.4%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 194% $229

Clothing & Footwear

Kuching

$116 13.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 11.4% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kuching

$70 8%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 391% $275

Sport & Entertainment

Kuching

$40 4.5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 116% $46

Getting Around

Kuching

$22 2.5%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 161% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Kuching and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 863% 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: $25.00 in Kuching vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $403 per month, with Kuching cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kuching

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

11:28 11:28 AM

22:28 10:28 PM

13 h behind Kuching

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

349,147

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 = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.58 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kuching Austin, TX 15,390 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Kuching
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

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

Kuching wins on cost – living expenses run 205% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kuching the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 863% 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: $360 in Kuching versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $887 per month in Kuching versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 205% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuching runs roughly 228% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $887 in Kuching versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kuching delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $887 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kuching hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 205% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.