Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Nis Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Nis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $853 in Bintulu versus $1,047 in Nis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,321 in Bintulu versus $1,527 in Nis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,788 in Bintulu versus $2,007 in Nis.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 18% less than in Nis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 38% lower, Nis 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 MYR 16.25

$7.98 RSD 805

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.47 MYR 75.2

$34.63 RSD 3,490

-46.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 MYR 24.71

$10.10 RSD 1,018

-39.80%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.73

$2.02 RSD 204

42.57%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$2.36 RSD 238

-70.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$1.87 RSD 188

-77.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 MYR 12.13

$3.77 RSD 380

-20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.62

$4.52 RSD 456

12.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 MYR 8.60

$1.15 RSD 115

83.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$0.77 RSD 77.2

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.41

$1.74 RSD 176

-23.56%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.16

$2.36 RSD 238

-4.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 MYR 70.1

$7.79 RSD 786

121.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 MYR 14.99

$6.12 RSD 617

-39.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.86 MYR 23.83

$11.07 RSD 1,116

-47.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.21

$1.08 RSD 109

63.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 MYR 3.89

$1.74 RSD 175

-44.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.91

$1.53 RSD 154

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$2.18 RSD 219

-46.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$0.79 RSD 80.1

-35.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$0.80 RSD 81.0

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.68 RSD 68.9

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.68

$0.58 RSD 58.0

-29.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MYR 16.58

$4.49 RSD 453

-9.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.46 MYR 79.2

$5.82 RSD 586

234.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.86

$0.67 RSD 67.7

335.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MYR 7.91

$1.28 RSD 129

51.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 MYR 5.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.64 MYR 67.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.89

$1.93 RSD 195

-50.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MYR 3.61

$0.67 RSD 67.1

32.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 MYR 9.83

$8.66 RSD 873

-72.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 MYR 2.30

$1.92 RSD 193

-70.31%

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

$44.8K MYR 182.3K

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

44.34%

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

$39.9K MYR 162.2K

$25.3K RSD 2.6M

57.39%

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

$60.2 MYR 245

$163 RSD 16.4K

-62.95%

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

$32.61 MYR 133

$20.70 RSD 2,086

57.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.84 MYR 125

$23.26 RSD 2,345

32.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 MYR 283

$31.13 RSD 3,138

123.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.52 MYR 50.9

$16.13 RSD 1,626

-22.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 MYR 17.68

$4.93 RSD 496

-11.76%

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

$128 MYR 521

$259 RSD 26.1K

-50.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,430 MYR 30.2K

$5,157 RSD 519.8K

44.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 MYR 261

$92.6 RSD 9,332

-30.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.12 MYR 147

$39.61 RSD 3,992

-8.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 MYR 323

$104 RSD 10.5K

-23.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 MYR 383

$114 RSD 11.4K

-17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 MYR 910

$406 RSD 40.9K

-44.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 MYR 644

$292 RSD 29.4K

-45.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,952

$612 RSD 61.7K

-21.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,400

$418 RSD 42.1K

-17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 MYR 7,212

$2,587 RSD 260.7K

-31.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,154 MYR 4,694

$1,897 RSD 191.2K

-39.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 MYR 2,478

$928 RSD 93.5K

-34.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.11

-11.94%

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

Last update for Bintulu: September 8, 2026

Last update for Nis: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Bintulu and $406 in Nis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 52% 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: $18.00 in Bintulu vs $35.00 in Nis. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $187, with Nis cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bintulu vs Nis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Nis. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Nis. 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: $224 in Bintulu versus $406 in Nis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $128 in Bintulu versus $259 in Nis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bintulu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $35.00 in Nis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $853 in Bintulu versus $1,047 in Nis, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Nis. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu 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, Bintulu and Nis 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.