Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muar and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Muar: $951 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Muar
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Muar Living Index
125

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

Jump to prices

Muar

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$951

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $951 in Muar versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Muar $951
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,505 in Muar versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Muar $1,505
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,059 in Muar versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Muar $2,059
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Muar costs roughly 64% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muar is 30% below, Austin, TX is 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 MYR 19.72

$20.35 $20.35

-76.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.01 MYR 119

$84.7 $84.7

-65.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 MYR 15.86

$12.12 $12.12

-67.99%

Cappuccino

$3.05 MYR 12.46

$5.65 $5.65

-46.02%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.12

$3.68 $3.68

-79.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$2.36 $2.36

-80.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MYR 18.14

$7.87 $7.87

-43.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 MYR 25.63

$8.82 $8.82

-28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 MYR 8.72

$1.14 $1.14

86.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$3.69 $3.69

-71.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 MYR 7.58

$3.31 $3.31

-44.11%

Eggs

$2.44 MYR 9.96

$4.15 $4.15

-41.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 MYR 58.3

$12.98 $12.98

9.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.17

$13.86 $13.86

-67.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 MYR 40.68

$16.34 $16.34

-39.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.75

$4.69 $4.69

-28.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 MYR 7.55

$1.45 $1.45

27.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.19

$5.11 $5.11

-55.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.19

$4.52 $4.52

-66.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.97

$3.08 $3.08

-60.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.60

$2.38 $2.38

-42.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.80 $1.80

-35.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MYR 2.91

$2.22 $2.22

-68.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 MYR 18.19

$9.97 $9.97

-55.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.48 MYR 79.7

$15.05 $15.05

29.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 MYR 14.24

$2.91 $2.91

19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 MYR 20.42

$3.33 $3.33

49.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MYR 2.63

$1.22 $1.22

-47.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.62 MYR 43.43

$40.53 $40.53

-73.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$2.78 $2.78

-57.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 MYR 5.10

$1.65 $1.65

-24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 MYR 19.93

$35.39 $35.39

-86.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.32

$0.95 $0.95

-14.74%

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

$44.4K MYR 181.6K

$34.2K $34.2K

29.91%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

30.26%

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

$62.0 MYR 254

$223 $223

-72.18%

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

$8.88 MYR 36.32

$58.5 $58.5

-84.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.21 MYR 107

$71.2 $71.2

-63.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.02 MYR 151

$53.0 $53.0

-30.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.66

$16.75 $16.75

-65.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.83

$14.06 $14.06

-65.50%

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

$240 MYR 981

$1,459 $1,459

-83.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MYR 54.5K

$21.3K $21.3K

-37.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 MYR 295

$52.5 $52.5

37.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 MYR 171

$42.75 $42.75

-2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 MYR 345

$86.4 $86.4

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 MYR 394

$104 $104

-7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 MYR 1,818

$2,112 $2,112

-78.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 MYR 1,033

$1,230 $1,230

-79.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 MYR 2,521

$3,863 $3,863

-84.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 MYR 2,117

$2,407 $2,407

-78.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,001 MYR 8,180

$7,426 $7,426

-73.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,229 MYR 5,023

$3,060 $3,060

-59.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MYR 2,465

$5,179 $5,179

-88.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

6.82

-38.86%

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

Last update for Muar: October 26, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Muar

$274 28.9%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 49.3% $135

Accommodation & Living

Muar

$253 26.6%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 387% $978

Clothing & Footwear

Muar

$133 14%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 3.1% $4.2

Eating Out

Muar

$126 13.3%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 175% $222

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Muar

$97 10.2%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 263% $256

Sport & Entertainment

Muar

$47 4.9%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 73.8% $34

Getting Around

Muar

$21 2.2%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 174% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Muar and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 8.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $29 in Muar vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $410 per month, with Muar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Muar

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

01:04 1:04 AM

12:04 12:04 PM

13 h behind Muar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

314,776

974,447

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.219 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 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 27, 2026: 1 USD = 4.09 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.57 MYR (1 MYR = 0.219 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Muar Austin, TX 15,830 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Muar
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

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

Muar wins on cost – living expenses run 64% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Muar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in Muar. 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: $445 in Muar versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $951 per month in Muar versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Muar runs roughly 74% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $951 in Muar versus $2,607 in Austin, TX, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Muar but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Muar 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.

Expats usually find Muar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.