Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan Lepas and La Paz Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan Lepas and La Paz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $740 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,356 in La Paz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Bayan Lepas versus $2,209 in La Paz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,717 in Bayan Lepas versus $3,062 in La Paz.

Living in Bayan Lepas costs roughly 45% less than in La Paz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bayan Lepas 46% lower, La Paz 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 MYR 12.49

$10.95 MX$186

-71.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.15 MYR 69.8

$60.2 MX$1,021

-71.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 MYR 16.23

$8.63 MX$146

-53.77%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.49

$3.28 MX$55.7

-14.02%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.46

$1.84 MX$31.13

-53.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MYR 2.42

$1.03 MX$17.51

-41.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 MYR 19.42

$2.27 MX$38.50

110.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.45

$5.72 MX$97.1

-12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 MYR 10.19

$2.31 MX$39.25

8.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.22

$2.88 MX$48.80

-63.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.40

$2.26 MX$38.30

-62.83%

Eggs

$1.97 MYR 8.00

$2.51 MX$42.57

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 MX$212

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.84

$8.87 MX$150

-61.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 MYR 27.42

$11.47 MX$195

-41.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.52

$3.60 MX$61.0

-14.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.38 MX$23.49

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 MYR 12.63

$2.11 MX$35.80

46.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$2.01 MX$34.16

-40.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$2.18 MX$36.91

-39.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$2.12 MX$35.96

-40.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$1.52 MX$25.86

-52.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.74

$1.40 MX$23.75

-52.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.31 MYR 21.62

$4.83 MX$81.9

9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.72 MYR 80.2

$17.67 MX$300

11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MX$49.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.68

$0.73 MX$12.47

-9.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.64 MYR 59.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 MYR 6.70

$2.79 MX$47.41

-40.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 MX$31.23

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.65 MX$215

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$1.55 MX$26.31

-59.35%

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

$22.7K MX$384.6K

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

$26.2K MX$445.1K

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

$24.48 MYR 99.6

$66.3 MX$1,125

-63.07%

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

$11.58 MYR 47.09

$27.36 MX$464

-57.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.37 MYR 128

$35.26 MX$598

-11.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.95 MYR 122

$37.61 MX$638

-20.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 30.44

$21.29 MX$361

-64.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.14

$5.46 MX$92.6

-9.34%

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

$247 MX$4,185

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,957 MX$84.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.98 MYR 163

$62.7 MX$1,064

-36.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.48 MYR 112

$45.53 MX$772

-39.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 MYR 267

$78.9 MX$1,339

-16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 MYR 334

$93.0 MX$1,577

-11.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 MYR 798

$882 MX$15.0K

-77.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 916

$518 MX$8,794

-56.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 2,017

$1,851 MX$31.4K

-73.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 MYR 2,392

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-48.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,008 MX$34.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,228 MX$20.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 MYR 4,031

$831 MX$14.1K

19.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.6

-69.83%

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

Last update for Bayan Lepas: September 6, 2026

Last update for La Paz: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Bayan Lepas and $882 in La Paz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayan Lepas pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Bayan Lepas vs $60.0 in La Paz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $313 per month, with Bayan Lepas cheaper across the board.

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

Bayan Lepas vs La Paz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bayan Lepas and La Paz differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($740 vs $1,356 including rent). Bayan Lepas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Bayan Lepas, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $196 in Bayan Lepas versus $882 in La Paz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayan Lepas – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $60.0 in La Paz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $740 per month in Bayan Lepas versus $1,356 in La Paz – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $740 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,356 in La Paz, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayan Lepas but tight or insufficient in La Paz. The gap between the two cities makes Bayan Lepas 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, Bayan Lepas and La Paz 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 Bayan Lepas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in La Paz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.