Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Malang: $474 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $26,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Malang
Learn more

Malang Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Malang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$474

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $474 in Malang versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Malang $474
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $729 in Malang versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Malang $729
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $984 in Malang versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Malang $984
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Malang costs roughly 82% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Malang is 65% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.11 Rp 19.9K

$20.77 $20.77

-94.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.07 Rp 199.2K

$84.6 $84.6

-86.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$12.32 $12.32

-77.60%

Cappuccino

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$5.63 $5.63

-76.20%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

$3.72 $3.72

-83.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,146

$2.50 $2.50

-90.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$8.05 $8.05

-71.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 Rp 76.6K

$9.01 $9.01

-52.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

$1.12 $1.12

-11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 20.2K

$3.75 $3.75

-70.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

$3.26 $3.26

-74.23%

Eggs

$1.24 Rp 22.4K

$4.17 $4.17

-70.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 Rp 106.0K

$12.90 $12.90

-54.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 55.6K

$14.16 $14.16

-78.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 Rp 129.7K

$16.22 $16.22

-55.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

$4.33 $4.33

-53.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

$1.46 $1.46

-13.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$4.51 $4.51

-64.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

$4.34 $4.34

-67.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.4K

$2.58 $2.58

-49.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.6K

$2.35 $2.35

-18.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 Rp 8,439

$1.78 $1.78

-73.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,580

$2.22 $2.22

-81.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

$9.88 $9.88

-73.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 Rp 224.5K

$15.08 $15.08

-17.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

$2.92 $2.92

-42.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.9K

$3.46 $3.46

-13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

$1.49 $1.49

-59.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.61 Rp 100.9K

$41.72 $41.72

-86.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,631

$2.73 $2.73

-82.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 Rp 7,244

$1.66 $1.66

-75.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 98.1K

$35.30 $35.30

-84.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.95 $0.95

-22.11%

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

$24.9K Rp 448.9M

$36.0K $36.0K

-30.81%

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

$27.7K Rp 498.8M

$27.1K $27.1K

2.36%

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

$30.83 Rp 555.0K

$229 $229

-86.54%

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

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

$59.4 $59.4

-95.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.51 Rp 351.1K

$69.9 $69.9

-72.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 Rp 264.3K

$57.2 $57.2

-74.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 Rp 80.5K

$16.33 $16.33

-72.63%

Cinema Ticket

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$14.28 $14.28

-86.55%

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

$30.88 Rp 555.9K

$1,506 $1,506

-97.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,452 Rp 170.1M

$21.5K $21.5K

-55.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$52.8 $52.8

6.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.41 Rp 403.4K

$43.82 $43.82

-48.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.9 Rp 934.9K

$84.8 $84.8

-38.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.74 Rp 643.3K

$103 $103

-65.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.5M

$1,907 $1,907

-92.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.5 Rp 1.6M

$1,274 $1,274

-92.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 Rp 3.5M

$3,664 $3,664

-94.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$2,538 $2,538

-93.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 Rp 3.7M

$5,121 $5,121

-96.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

-41.09%

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

Last update for Malang: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Malang

$169 35.7%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 139% $235

Accommodation & Living

Malang

$92 19.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 1292% $1.2K

Clothing & Footwear

Malang

$75 15.8%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 70.8% $53

Eating Out

Malang

$56 11.9%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 527% $297

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Malang

$53 11.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 579% $306

Sport & Entertainment

Malang

$19 3.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 363% $67

Getting Around

Malang

$10 2.2%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 460% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Malang and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2419% 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: $11.00 in Malang vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $405 per month, with Malang cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Malang

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:45 8:45 AM

20:45 8:45 PM

12 h behind Malang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

857,891

974,447

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,268 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Malang Austin, TX 16,000 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Malang
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

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

Malang wins on cost – living expenses run 462% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Malang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2419% 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: $136 in Malang 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 $474 per month in Malang versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 462% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Malang runs roughly 644% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $474 in Malang versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Malang but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Malang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Malang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $474 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Malang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Malang 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 Malang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 462% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.