Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu

🙂 Solo nomad: Bangkok is 8.3% cheaper than Kota Kinabalu without rent, and 25.7% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Bangkok is 23.9% more expensive than Kota Kinabalu without rent, and 32.1% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ฿98.1

$3.51 MYR 14.49

-12.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.02 ฿993

$19.15 MYR 79

61.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ฿191

$4.84 MYR 19.99

23.55%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ฿82.7

$2.68 MYR 11.05

-3.36%

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

$0.67 ฿21.4

$0.64 MYR 2.65

4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.33

$0.36 MYR 1.5

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿80.9

$2.42 MYR 9.98

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 ฿127

$3.44 MYR 14.19

15.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ฿59.3

$1.69 MYR 6.98

9.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.4 ฿44.9

$1.21 MYR 4.99

15.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿45.48

$1.73 MYR 7.12

-17.92%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿69.7

$2.78 MYR 11.46

-21.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.25 ฿584

$26.18 MYR 108

-30.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 ฿94.1

$3.43 MYR 14.14

-14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 ฿292

$7.36 MYR 30.36

23.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 ฿109

$2.65 MYR 10.94

28.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.9

$1.18 MYR 4.86

44.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ฿71.4

$3.31 MYR 13.65

-32.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿59.4

$1.97 MYR 8.14

-5.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.9

$1.53 MYR 6.33

3.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿47.7

$1.76 MYR 7.25

-15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿42.99

$1.12 MYR 4.61

19.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.7

$0.47 MYR 1.93

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 ฿143

$4.06 MYR 16.74

9.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.8 ฿506

$19.24 MYR 79.4

-17.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿59.7

$1.91 MYR 7.9

-2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿107

$1.7 MYR 7.01

96.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ฿38.91

$1.49 MYR 6.14

-18.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.29 ฿1,193

$40.75 MYR 168

-8.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿35.44

$1.86 MYR 7.67

-40.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿36.52

$0.44 MYR 1.8

159.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 ฿200

$5.95 MYR 24.54

5.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.37

$0.5 MYR 2.07

146.00%

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

$37K ฿1.2M

$28.9K MYR 119.2K

27.99%

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

$28.5K ฿913.4K

$27.2K MYR 112.3K

4.89%

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

$91.9 ฿2,940

$51 MYR 211

80.11%

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

$12.92 ฿413

$8.92 MYR 36.8

44.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.46 ฿559

$32.57 MYR 134

-46.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,674

$42.57 MYR 176

22.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.55 ฿338

$2.91 MYR 12.02

262.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 ฿250

$4.77 MYR 19.67

63.94%

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

$607 ฿19.4K

$132 MYR 545

359.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ฿432.4K

$4,549 MYR 18.8K

197.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 ฿1,827

$59.7 MYR 246

-4.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.54 ฿1,265

$22.92 MYR 94.6

72.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ฿3,318

$71.2 MYR 294

45.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 ฿3,015

$96.1 MYR 397

-2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.4K

$371 MYR 1,529

80.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ฿10.5K

$168 MYR 694

94.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 ฿60.2K

$634 MYR 2,615

196.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 ฿27.1K

$372 MYR 1,536

127.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,058 ฿193.9K

$1,805 MYR 7,451

235.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,766 ฿88.5K

$1,072 MYR 4,425

157.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$824 ฿26.4K

$562 MYR 2,320

46.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

3.8

53.68%

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

Last update for Bangkok: December 1, 2025

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: November 30, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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