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 $839 per month in Da Nang vs $709 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Da Nang vs $1,061 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,885 per month in Da Nang vs $1,412 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Da Nang costs about 18% more than Kota Bharu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Da Nang and Kota Bharu are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 39% lower, Kota Bharu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 ₫59.3K

$2.19 MYR 8.84

3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.50 ₫508.9K

$15.50 MYR 62.6

25.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ₫123.5K

$5.01 MYR 20.24

-5.59%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.0K

$2.19 MYR 8.84

-22.83%

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

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$0.51 MYR 2.05

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₫9,491

$0.28 MYR 1.14

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₫35.4K

$2.44 MYR 9.84

-44.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₫58.1K

$4.40 MYR 17.77

-49.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.0K

$1.56 MYR 6.28

-8.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₫33.2K

$0.92 MYR 3.70

38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.1K

$0.84 MYR 3.39

23.81%

Eggs

$1.53 ₫39.9K

$1.55 MYR 6.24

-1.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 ₫337.9K

$15.48 MYR 62.6

-16.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.08 ₫106.4K

$3.12 MYR 12.62

30.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ₫237.8K

$6.52 MYR 26.34

39.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ₫67.1K

$2.40 MYR 9.70

7.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ₫27.8K

$1.46 MYR 5.90

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ₫34.6K

$2.29 MYR 9.24

-42.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ₫37.6K

$1.12 MYR 4.54

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.3K

$0.88 MYR 3.57

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ₫33.1K

$0.80 MYR 3.22

58.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₫27.3K

$0.71 MYR 2.86

47.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.3K

$0.45 MYR 1.84

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 ₫40.6K

$3.38 MYR 13.64

-54.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₫204.9K

$21.56 MYR 87.1

-63.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.5K

$2.50 MYR 10.11

-64.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₫54.1K

$3.61 MYR 14.59

-42.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,623

$0.76 MYR 3.09

-56.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.86 ₫100.7K

$12.55 MYR 50.7

-69.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₫27.0K

$1.26 MYR 5.11

-18.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫15.9K

$0.51 MYR 2.05

19.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.18 ₫500.7K

$3.63 MYR 14.68

428.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.4K

$0.48 MYR 1.93

87.50%

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

$30.8K ₫803.3M

$31.6K MYR 127.5K

-2.51%

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

$28.1K ₫732.4M

$28.5K MYR 115.2K

-1.61%

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

$88.5 ₫2.3M

$51.0 MYR 206

73.61%

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

$6.27 ₫163.6K

$8.40 MYR 33.94

-25.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₫208.4K

$27.51 MYR 111

-70.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.06 ₫575.8K

$49.56 MYR 200

-55.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 ₫137.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 ₫81.0K

$4.30 MYR 17.39

-27.91%

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

$162 ₫4.2M

$124 MYR 500

31.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₫385.7M

$5,037 MYR 20.4K

193.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.47 ₫1.2M

$54.1 MYR 219

-17.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.74 ₫724.1K

$19.56 MYR 79.0

41.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 ₫2.6M

$74.0 MYR 299

33.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 ₫2.1M

$87.8 MYR 355

-6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.7M

$244 MYR 985

115.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ₫8.8M

$126 MYR 507

169.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 ₫25.3M

$681 MYR 2,753

42.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₫19.4M

$224 MYR 906

232.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 ₫100.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,278 ₫33.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 ₫9.4M

$296 MYR 1,197

21.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

4.43

141.99%

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

Last update for Da Nang: August 18, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 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 21% 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 $15.00 in Kota Bharu. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Da Nang vs $227 in Kota Bharu – so Da Nang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $839 in Da Nang, $709 in Kota Bharu – roughly 18% apart. Da Nang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,258 per month in Da Nang and $1,063 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 16% 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 $15.00 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 $839 in Da Nang and $709 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 $709 in Kota Bharu to $839 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.