Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Kota Bharu Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Kota Bharu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $844 per month in Da Nang vs $692 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,386 per month in Da Nang vs $1,054 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,928 per month in Da Nang vs $1,417 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Da Nang costs about 22% more than Kota Bharu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Da Nang and Kota Bharu are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 37% lower, Kota Bharu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 ₫59.0K

$2.25 MYR 9.20

0.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.51 ₫507.2K

$19.85 MYR 81.1

-1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₫120.1K

$4.52 MYR 18.45

2.21%

Cappuccino

$1.73 ₫45.1K

$2.14 MYR 8.74

-19.16%

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

$0.65 ₫16.9K

$0.50 MYR 2.05

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,217

$0.28 MYR 1.16

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ₫35.7K

$4.25 MYR 17.35

-67.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₫58.5K

$4.35 MYR 17.77

-48.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫41.2K

$1.62 MYR 6.60

-2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₫32.9K

$0.91 MYR 3.71

39.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$0.85 MYR 3.45

22.35%

Eggs

$1.50 ₫39.0K

$1.53 MYR 6.26

-1.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 ₫341.1K

$13.56 MYR 55.4

-3.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.17 ₫108.4K

$2.99 MYR 12.21

39.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 ₫240.7K

$6.31 MYR 25.76

46.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ₫70.5K

$3.01 MYR 12.30

-9.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.7K

$1.43 MYR 5.85

-20.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.6K

$2.69 MYR 11.00

-50.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ₫39.8K

$1.12 MYR 4.59

36.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.7K

$0.91 MYR 3.73

25.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 ₫34.1K

$1.07 MYR 4.36

22.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₫26.2K

$1.14 MYR 4.67

-11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.7K

$0.44 MYR 1.81

11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 ₫40.4K

$3.46 MYR 14.15

-55.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.80 ₫202.8K

$19.06 MYR 77.9

-59.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₫22.9K

$2.86 MYR 11.69

-69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₫54.5K

$5.33 MYR 21.78

-60.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₫8,185

$0.75 MYR 3.05

-58.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.06 ₫131.5K

$12.43 MYR 50.8

-59.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₫27.2K

$1.75 MYR 7.15

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₫14.7K

$0.41 MYR 1.67

39.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.44 ₫505.4K

$3.72 MYR 15.19

422.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.2K

$0.49 MYR 1.99

81.63%

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

$30.2K ₫784.4M

$31.8K MYR 129.8K

-5.03%

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

$27.9K ₫725.1M

$29.2K MYR 119.4K

-4.56%

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

$78.0 ₫2.0M

$37.37 MYR 153

108.70%

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

$6.34 ₫164.8K

$8.73 MYR 35.65

-27.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.23 ₫214.0K

$25.64 MYR 105

-67.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.58 ₫587.0K

$49.43 MYR 202

-54.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.43 ₫141.2K

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 ₫81.3K

$4.44 MYR 18.13

-29.50%

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

$161 ₫4.2M

$123 MYR 503

30.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₫382.5M

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

39.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.61 ₫1.2M

$54.1 MYR 221

-15.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.84 ₫723.9K

$19.67 MYR 80.3

41.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₫2.6M

$79.9 MYR 326

27.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 ₫2.1M

$68.9 MYR 281

17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₫13.4M

$244 MYR 998

111.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₫8.9M

$120 MYR 492

182.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₫27.2M

$675 MYR 2,756

55.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 ₫20.3M

$224 MYR 916

248.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,790 ₫98.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,306 ₫34.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$350 ₫9.1M

$292 MYR 1,193

19.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

4.04

165.35%

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

Last update for Da Nang: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Da Nang versus $244 in Kota Bharu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Da Nang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Da Nang versus $20.00 in Kota Bharu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $227 – making Da Nang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Da Nang vs Kota Bharu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $844 in Da Nang, $692 in Kota Bharu – roughly 22% apart. Da Nang costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,266 per month in Da Nang and $1,037 in Kota Bharu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kota Bharu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Da Nang – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Da Nang and $20.00 in Kota Bharu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $844 in Da Nang and $692 in Kota Bharu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $692 in Kota Bharu to $844 in Da Nang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kota Bharu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Da Nang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.