Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Selangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Selangor

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Cotonou versus $1,029 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,463 in Cotonou versus $1,494 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Cotonou versus $1,960 in Selangor.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 10% less than in Selangor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 33% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 F CFA 2,936

$4.39 MYR 17.76

18.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.09 F CFA 21.0K

$20.22 MYR 81.8

83.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 F CFA 5,551

$4.06 MYR 16.43

141.63%

Cappuccino

$5.40 F CFA 3,055

$2.24 MYR 9.06

141.07%

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

$1.09 F CFA 615

$0.84 MYR 3.41

29.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 505

$0.43 MYR 1.73

106.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 F CFA 493

$4.50 MYR 18.19

-80.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 F CFA 1,478

$4.97 MYR 20.09

-47.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 F CFA 1,794

$1.88 MYR 7.62

68.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 F CFA 720

$1.11 MYR 4.49

14.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 F CFA 1,123

$1.49 MYR 6.02

32.89%

Eggs

$2.75 F CFA 1,555

$2.01 MYR 8.14

36.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 F CFA 5,456

$16.12 MYR 65.2

-40.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 F CFA 3,179

$4.89 MYR 19.79

14.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.36 F CFA 3,032

$9.92 MYR 40.10

-45.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 F CFA 2,428

$3.36 MYR 13.58

27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 F CFA 1,076

$1.84 MYR 7.45

3.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 762

$2.35 MYR 9.51

-42.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 F CFA 1,580

$1.66 MYR 6.69

68.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 774

$1.34 MYR 5.41

2.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 F CFA 1,027

$1.05 MYR 4.24

73.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 F CFA 260

$1.17 MYR 4.74

-60.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 F CFA 642

$0.58 MYR 2.36

94.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 F CFA 2,055

$4.57 MYR 18.46

-20.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.41 F CFA 2,493

$19.08 MYR 77.2

-76.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 F CFA 720

$3.39 MYR 13.69

-62.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 F CFA 1,133

$5.07 MYR 20.49

-60.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 F CFA 774

$1.25 MYR 5.07

9.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 F CFA 820

$1.22 MYR 4.95

18.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 F CFA 818

$1.26 MYR 5.10

15.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 F CFA 700

$0.69 MYR 2.77

79.71%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

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

$24.8K F CFA 14.0M

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

-30.19%

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

$154 F CFA 87.0K

$65.6 MYR 265

134.61%

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

$35.83 F CFA 20.3K

$9.42 MYR 38.10

280.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.43 F CFA 28.0K

$26.41 MYR 107

87.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 F CFA 28.9K

$40.52 MYR 164

26.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.52 F CFA 1,989

$7.09 MYR 28.68

-50.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 F CFA 4,900

$5.43 MYR 21.96

59.48%

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

$134 F CFA 76.1K

$123 MYR 499

8.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,798 F CFA 3.3M

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

-21.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.76 F CFA 15.1K

$71.3 MYR 288

-62.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.52 F CFA 20.1K

$79.0 MYR 319

-55.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 F CFA 40.4K

$82.5 MYR 333

-13.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 F CFA 105.5K

$509 MYR 2,057

-63.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 99.0K

$348 MYR 1,405

-49.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 F CFA 348.3K

$911 MYR 3,685

-32.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 F CFA 243.2K

$489 MYR 1,977

-12.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 F CFA 148.9K

$1,060 MYR 4,285

-75.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

1.01%

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

Last update for Cotonou: August 31, 2026

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $187 in Cotonou and $509 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 303% 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: $37.00 in Cotonou vs $20.00 in Selangor. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $275, with Cotonou 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

Cotonou vs Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 303% lower in Selangor. 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: $187 in Cotonou versus $509 in Selangor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Selangor. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $927 per month in Cotonou versus $1,029 in Selangor – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $927 in Cotonou versus $1,029 in Selangor, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Selangor. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou 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, Cotonou and Selangor 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 Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.