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: $979 in Cotonou versus $999 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Cotonou versus $1,432 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Cotonou versus $1,865 in Selangor.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 2% less than in Selangor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 27% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 F CFA 2,035

$2.55 MYR 10.43

39.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.07 F CFA 14.9K

$23.88 MYR 97.7

9.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 F CFA 2,951

$3.73 MYR 15.27

38.07%

Cappuccino

$5.66 F CFA 3,241

$2.30 MYR 9.41

146.09%

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

$0.89 F CFA 512

$0.77 MYR 3.17

15.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 F CFA 415

$0.36 MYR 1.48

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 F CFA 832

$4.22 MYR 17.28

-65.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 F CFA 1,982

$5.38 MYR 22.02

-35.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 F CFA 1,511

$1.81 MYR 7.39

45.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 F CFA 816

$1.01 MYR 4.15

40.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 F CFA 1,090

$1.50 MYR 6.12

26.67%

Eggs

$2.23 F CFA 1,279

$1.88 MYR 7.70

18.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 F CFA 5,424

$14.38 MYR 58.8

-34.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 F CFA 2,909

$4.68 MYR 19.15

8.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 F CFA 2,939

$9.88 MYR 40.43

-48.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 F CFA 2,305

$3.00 MYR 12.27

34.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 818

$1.56 MYR 6.40

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 691

$2.73 MYR 11.19

-55.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 F CFA 1,047

$1.45 MYR 5.94

26.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 F CFA 792

$1.28 MYR 5.22

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 859

$1.01 MYR 4.12

48.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 298

$1.13 MYR 4.63

-53.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 707

$0.51 MYR 2.10

141.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 F CFA 1,289

$4.33 MYR 17.72

-48.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.45 F CFA 2,552

$19.24 MYR 78.7

-76.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 F CFA 681

$3.35 MYR 13.69

-64.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 F CFA 1,261

$4.26 MYR 17.42

-48.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,033

$0.68 MYR 2.80

164.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 MYR 48.49

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 F CFA 800

$1.16 MYR 4.75

20.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 F CFA 739

$1.10 MYR 4.51

17.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 F CFA 1,035

$4.35 MYR 17.78

-58.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 F CFA 605

$0.50 MYR 2.05

112.00%

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

$40.5K MYR 165.6K

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

$24.6K F CFA 14.1M

$30.8K MYR 126.0K

-20.21%

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

$261 F CFA 149.3K

$64.9 MYR 266

301.56%

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

$43.57 F CFA 25.0K

$9.99 MYR 40.90

336.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 F CFA 31.7K

$25.88 MYR 106

113.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.0 F CFA 33.8K

$38.38 MYR 157

53.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.38 F CFA 3,081

$7.27 MYR 29.75

-26.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 F CFA 4,187

$5.17 MYR 21.14

41.39%

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

$189 F CFA 108.0K

$116 MYR 476

62.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,492 F CFA 3.7M

$4,342 MYR 17.8K

49.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,998

$60.9 MYR 249

-71.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.63 F CFA 4,944

$36.78 MYR 151

-76.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$8.85 F CFA 5,072

$74.9 MYR 307

-88.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.14 F CFA 27.6K

$78.8 MYR 322

-38.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 F CFA 117.9K

$449 MYR 1,839

-54.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 F CFA 83.6K

$351 MYR 1,438

-58.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 F CFA 328.6K

$834 MYR 3,415

-31.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 161.9K

$472 MYR 1,931

-40.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,583 MYR 6,477

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 MYR 2,893

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 F CFA 99.2K

$1,047 MYR 4,286

-83.47%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Selangor: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $206 in Cotonou and $449 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 505% 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: $26.00 in Cotonou vs $24.00 in Selangor. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 505% 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: $206 in Cotonou versus $449 in Selangor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Selangor. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $979 per month in Cotonou versus $999 in Selangor – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $979 in Cotonou versus $999 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 2% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.