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: $969 in Cotonou versus $1,008 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,397 in Cotonou versus $1,449 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,825 in Cotonou versus $1,890 in Selangor.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 4% less than in Selangor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 28% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 F CFA 2,043

$2.56 MYR 10.16

41.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.79 F CFA 15.1K

$23.14 MYR 91.7

15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 F CFA 2,947

$3.74 MYR 14.84

39.57%

Cappuccino

$5.45 F CFA 3,074

$2.23 MYR 8.83

144.39%

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

$0.86 F CFA 487

$0.77 MYR 3.06

11.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 F CFA 431

$0.33 MYR 1.32

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 789

$4.19 MYR 16.62

-66.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

$5.33 MYR 21.15

-35.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 F CFA 1,434

$1.83 MYR 7.26

38.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 F CFA 776

$1.01 MYR 4.00

36.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 F CFA 1,047

$1.45 MYR 5.74

28.28%

Eggs

$2.15 F CFA 1,210

$1.83 MYR 7.24

17.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 F CFA 5,272

$14.43 MYR 57.2

-35.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 F CFA 2,755

$4.66 MYR 18.46

4.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.89 F CFA 2,755

$9.83 MYR 38.98

-50.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 F CFA 2,277

$2.87 MYR 11.37

40.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 774

$1.64 MYR 6.52

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 F CFA 689

$2.69 MYR 10.65

-54.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 984

$1.51 MYR 5.98

15.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 757

$1.27 MYR 5.03

5.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 F CFA 836

$0.99 MYR 3.93

49.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 293

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 692

$0.54 MYR 2.15

127.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 F CFA 1,256

$4.32 MYR 17.12

-48.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.55 F CFA 2,569

$19.54 MYR 77.5

-76.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 F CFA 698

$3.37 MYR 13.35

-63.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 F CFA 1,228

$4.26 MYR 16.88

-48.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 F CFA 1,019

$0.74 MYR 2.94

144.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 46.04

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 F CFA 782

$1.21 MYR 4.79

14.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 708

$1.10 MYR 4.38

14.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 F CFA 963

$4.38 MYR 17.39

-60.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 625

$0.46 MYR 1.84

141.30%

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

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

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

$24.9K F CFA 14.0M

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

-22.09%

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

$266 F CFA 149.8K

$65.4 MYR 259

306.16%

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

$43.76 F CFA 24.7K

$9.48 MYR 37.59

361.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 F CFA 32.0K

$25.69 MYR 102

121.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 F CFA 33.6K

$38.55 MYR 153

54.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.31 F CFA 2,993

$7.29 MYR 28.90

-27.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 F CFA 4,355

$5.20 MYR 20.62

48.46%

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

$185 F CFA 104.2K

$117 MYR 462

58.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,351 F CFA 3.6M

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

44.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.52 F CFA 9,878

$59.8 MYR 237

-70.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.80 F CFA 4,964

$36.96 MYR 147

-76.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$8.78 F CFA 4,952

$75.1 MYR 298

-88.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.06 F CFA 27.1K

$78.9 MYR 313

-39.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 F CFA 113.4K

$441 MYR 1,749

-54.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 F CFA 84.8K

$348 MYR 1,379

-56.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 F CFA 333.4K

$849 MYR 3,365

-30.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 F CFA 162.3K

$472 MYR 1,871

-38.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,659 MYR 6,577

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 MYR 2,878

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 MYR 3,980

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

26.26%

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

Last update for Cotonou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Cotonou and $441 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $23.00 in Selangor. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $261, 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,454 in Cotonou and $1,511 in Selangor to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Cotonou versus $441 in Selangor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Selangor. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Cotonou versus $1,008 in Selangor – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $969 in Cotonou versus $1,008 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 4% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.