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: $798 in Bintulu versus $1,025 in Nis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bintulu versus $1,500 in Nis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,650 in Bintulu versus $1,975 in Nis.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 22% less than in Nis, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 40% lower, Nis 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 MYR 15.00

$7.33 RSD 733

-48.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.58 MYR 69.4

$29.40 RSD 2,938

-40.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 MYR 22.73

$10.11 RSD 1,011

-43.03%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$1.93 RSD 192

45.08%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.62

$1.89 RSD 188

-65.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.56

$1.28 RSD 128

-68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.41 RSD 240

19.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.33

$3.03 RSD 303

61.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.79

$1.28 RSD 128

34.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 MYR 5.37

$0.71 RSD 71.0

91.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.77 RSD 177

-29.38%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.68

$2.52 RSD 252

-12.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.34 MYR 64.5

$7.90 RSD 790

106.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.26

$7.00 RSD 699

-52.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.70 MYR 22.51

$11.71 RSD 1,171

-51.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.61

$1.18 RSD 118

41.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 MYR 3.79

$1.79 RSD 179

-46.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.46

$1.51 RSD 151

8.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MYR 4.36

$1.82 RSD 182

-39.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$1.03 RSD 103

-52.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$1.12 RSD 112

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.60 RSD 59.8

15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.67

$0.56 RSD 56.4

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.31

$4.19 RSD 419

-1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.15 MYR 75.6

$7.08 RSD 708

170.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.46

$0.75 RSD 74.8

286.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MYR 7.37

$2.03 RSD 203

-7.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 MYR 4.57

$0.82 RSD 82.4

41.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.45 MYR 61.0

$26.31 RSD 2,630

-41.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.84

$1.50 RSD 150

-35.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.48

$0.42 RSD 41.88

109.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 MYR 9.28

$6.86 RSD 686

-65.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 MYR 2.05

$1.75 RSD 175

-70.29%

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

$42.9K MYR 169.4K

$30.5K RSD 3.0M

40.85%

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

$38.3K MYR 151.2K

$26.7K RSD 2.7M

43.16%

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

$57.3 MYR 226

$139 RSD 13.9K

-58.83%

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

$9.20 MYR 36.35

$16.65 RSD 1,664

-44.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.24 MYR 115

$22.15 RSD 2,214

32.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 MYR 257

$29.03 RSD 2,901

124.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 MYR 23.73

$19.37 RSD 1,936

-68.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 MYR 16.25

$4.83 RSD 483

-14.91%

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

$121 MYR 479

$237 RSD 23.7K

-48.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,941 MYR 27.4K

$5,017 RSD 501.4K

38.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 MYR 251

$90.9 RSD 9,081

-29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.25 MYR 135

$46.41 RSD 4,639

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MYR 298

$94.3 RSD 9,420

-20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 MYR 347

$103 RSD 10.3K

-14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 MYR 822

$406 RSD 40.6K

-48.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 MYR 604

$288 RSD 28.7K

-46.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 MYR 1,786

$569 RSD 56.9K

-20.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 MYR 1,258

$413 RSD 41.3K

-22.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 MYR 7,081

$2,599 RSD 259.8K

-31.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 MYR 4,688

$1,881 RSD 188.0K

-36.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 MYR 2,449

$877 RSD 87.6K

-29.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

7.45

-39.60%

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

Last update for Bintulu: April 19, 2026

Last update for Nis: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Bintulu and $406 in Nis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 41% 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 in Bintulu vs $29 in Nis. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $199, 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 29% 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, Nis earns 41% less. 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: $208 in Bintulu versus $406 in Nis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $798 per month in Bintulu versus $1,025 in Nis – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 70% less than in Nis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Bintulu versus $1,025 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 29% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.