Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Langkawi and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Langkawi: $537 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Langkawi
Learn more

Langkawi Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Langkawi

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$537

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $537 in Langkawi versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Langkawi $537
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $770 in Langkawi versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Langkawi $770
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,003 in Langkawi versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Langkawi $1,003
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Langkawi costs roughly 80% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Langkawi is 60% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.27 MYR 13.33

$20.77 $20.77

-84.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.71 MYR 80.4

$84.6 $84.6

-76.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 MYR 26.04

$12.32 $12.32

-48.21%

Cappuccino

$1.65 MYR 6.72

$5.63 $5.63

-70.69%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$3.72 $3.72

-77.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$2.50 $2.50

-78.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$8.05 $8.05

-78.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 MYR 9.22

$9.01 $9.01

-74.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.10

$1.12 $1.12

55.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.36

$3.75 $3.75

-65.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.30

$4.17 $4.17

-57.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.48 MYR 71.3

$12.90 $12.90

35.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 8.23

$4.33 $4.33

-53.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.05

$1.46 $1.46

-32.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$4.51 $4.51

-62.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$4.34 $4.34

-61.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$2.35 $2.35

-67.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 MYR 15.04

$9.88 $9.88

-62.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 MYR 36.00

$15.08 $15.08

-41.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$2.92 $2.92

-67.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$3.46 $3.46

-65.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.57

$0.95 $0.95

-7.37%

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

$24.4K MYR 99.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

-32.27%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

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

$36.65 MYR 150

$229 $229

-83.99%

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

$59.4 $59.4

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.82 MYR 101

$57.2 $57.2

-56.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

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

$1,506 $1,506

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 MYR 1,255

$1,907 $1,907

-83.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 MYR 997

$1,274 $1,274

-80.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 MYR 1,528

$3,664 $3,664

-89.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MYR 1,304

$2,538 $2,538

-87.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,168 MYR 4,765

$7,614 $7,614

-84.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,240 MYR 5,060

$5,121 $5,121

-75.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Langkawi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Langkawi

$244 45.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 421% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Langkawi

$148 * 27.5%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 174% $257

Eating Out

Langkawi

$84 15.6%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 323% $270

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Langkawi

$37 * 6.8%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 878% $322

Sport & Entertainment

Langkawi

$25 * 4.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 246% $61

Getting Around

Langkawi

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Langkawi

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $308 in Langkawi and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 313% 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: $20.00 in Langkawi vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $405 per month, with Langkawi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Langkawi

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:58 3:58 AM

14:58 2:58 PM

13 h behind Langkawi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,212

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 = 0.889 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 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Langkawi Austin, TX 15,530 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Langkawi
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

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

Langkawi wins on cost – living expenses run 396% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Langkawi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 313% 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: $308 in Langkawi 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 $537 per month in Langkawi versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 396% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 174% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $537 in Langkawi versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Langkawi but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Langkawi 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, Langkawi 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 Langkawi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 396% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.