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: $793 in Bintulu versus $1,038 in Nis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,240 in Bintulu versus $1,516 in Nis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,687 in Bintulu versus $1,995 in Nis.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 24% less than in Nis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 41% lower, Nis 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 MYR 15.59

$7.49 RSD 769

-49.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.65 MYR 72.1

$29.32 RSD 3,008

-39.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 MYR 23.69

$9.83 RSD 1,008

-41.00%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.74

$2.01 RSD 206

42.79%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.69

$1.89 RSD 194

-65.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$1.21 RSD 125

-67.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$2.41 RSD 247

15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 MYR 20.49

$2.98 RSD 305

68.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.39

$1.30 RSD 133

39.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 MYR 5.63

$0.75 RSD 77.0

84.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.77 RSD 182

-24.86%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$2.49 RSD 255

-11.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 MYR 66.2

$7.91 RSD 812

104.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 MYR 14.11

$7.00 RSD 718

-50.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.50 MYR 22.46

$11.75 RSD 1,206

-53.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.69

$1.18 RSD 121

38.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 MYR 3.79

$1.78 RSD 183

-47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$1.44 RSD 147

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.34

$1.82 RSD 186

-41.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.08 RSD 110

-54.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$1.13 RSD 116

5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.56 RSD 57.2

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$0.58 RSD 59.0

-32.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 MYR 16.17

$4.04 RSD 415

-1.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.22 MYR 78.5

$5.80 RSD 595

231.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$0.69 RSD 70.9

311.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 MYR 7.50

$2.03 RSD 208

-9.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$0.75 RSD 77.4

53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.72 MYR 64.2

$26.35 RSD 2,703

-40.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$1.45 RSD 149

-37.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$0.45 RSD 46.43

102.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 MYR 9.82

$6.96 RSD 714

-65.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$1.79 RSD 184

-71.51%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.1K

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

36.71%

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

$37.8K MYR 154.4K

$27.0K RSD 2.8M

39.82%

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

$58.0 MYR 237

$140 RSD 14.4K

-58.55%

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

$9.07 MYR 37.04

$17.21 RSD 1,766

-47.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 MYR 122

$22.27 RSD 2,285

34.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 MYR 264

$28.62 RSD 2,936

126.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.75 MYR 23.49

$18.81 RSD 1,930

-69.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 MYR 17.08

$5.01 RSD 514

-16.57%

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

$124 MYR 506

$234 RSD 24.1K

-47.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,948 MYR 28.4K

$5,161 RSD 529.5K

34.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 252

$88.8 RSD 9,108

-30.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 MYR 137

$47.31 RSD 4,854

-29.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 MYR 310

$94.6 RSD 9,708

-19.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 MYR 354

$104 RSD 10.7K

-16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 MYR 879

$408 RSD 41.9K

-47.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 MYR 609

$282 RSD 28.9K

-47.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,906

$573 RSD 58.8K

-18.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MYR 1,296

$413 RSD 42.4K

-23.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,765 MYR 7,209

$2,604 RSD 267.2K

-32.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 MYR 4,667

$1,847 RSD 189.5K

-38.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 MYR 2,446

$896 RSD 91.9K

-33.13%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Nis: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $215 in Bintulu and $408 in Nis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 50% 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 $29.00 in Nis. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $197, 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 31% 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 50% 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: $215 in Bintulu versus $408 in Nis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $793 per month in Bintulu versus $1,038 in Nis – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 68% less than in Nis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $793 in Bintulu versus $1,038 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 31% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.