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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $720 per month in Da Nang vs $840 in Kota Kinabalu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,104 per month in Da Nang vs $1,352 in Kota Kinabalu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,488 per month in Da Nang vs $1,865 in Kota Kinabalu, rent included.

Da Nang is about 14% cheaper than Kota Kinabalu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Da Nang and Kota Kinabalu are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 46% lower, Kota Kinabalu 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.8K

$3.50 MYR 13.89

-43.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.92 ₫497.2K

$19.05 MYR 75.6

-0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ₫120.8K

$4.67 MYR 18.53

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$1.63 ₫42.9K

$2.60 MYR 10.32

-37.31%

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

$0.50 ₫13.1K

$0.69 MYR 2.72

-27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₫7,495

$0.37 MYR 1.46

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₫26.9K

$2.38 MYR 9.45

-57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$3.51 MYR 13.91

-54.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ₫37.5K

$1.68 MYR 6.66

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₫26.9K

$1.24 MYR 4.91

-17.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.3K

$1.70 MYR 6.72

-32.35%

Eggs

$1.42 ₫37.4K

$2.89 MYR 11.47

-50.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 ₫321.8K

$25.74 MYR 102

-52.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ₫95.5K

$3.44 MYR 13.65

5.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 ₫266.3K

$7.43 MYR 29.45

36.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₫72.2K

$2.56 MYR 10.16

7.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.2K

$1.16 MYR 4.62

-13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.6K

$3.14 MYR 12.46

-65.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$1.91 MYR 7.58

-43.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.8K

$1.52 MYR 6.02

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$1.71 MYR 6.79

-32.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₫27.4K

$1.13 MYR 4.49

-7.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$0.47 MYR 1.88

2.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₫35.7K

$4.23 MYR 16.79

-67.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 ₫202.5K

$16.30 MYR 64.6

-52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.7K

$1.85 MYR 7.35

-53.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₫43.7K

$1.61 MYR 6.37

3.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,325

$1.51 MYR 6.00

-78.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.92 ₫103.0K

$41.03 MYR 163

-90.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$1.90 MYR 7.54

-52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.0K

$0.46 MYR 1.84

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.67 ₫306.7K

$5.75 MYR 22.80

102.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.4K

$0.46 MYR 1.82

93.48%

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

$26.8K ₫705.1M

$29.6K MYR 117.2K

-9.24%

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

$28.1K ₫738.4M

$27.1K MYR 107.6K

3.52%

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

$74.3 ₫2.0M

$51.6 MYR 205

43.90%

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

$5.71 ₫150.1K

$9.22 MYR 36.55

-38.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.07 ₫212.1K

$32.25 MYR 128

-74.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 ₫535.3K

$43.54 MYR 173

-53.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.65 ₫201.0K

$2.99 MYR 11.87

155.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₫81.6K

$4.73 MYR 18.76

-34.25%

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

$156 ₫4.1M

$132 MYR 523

17.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₫333.9M

$4,506 MYR 17.9K

182.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.62 ₫1.0M

$60.6 MYR 240

-36.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.00 ₫683.1K

$22.99 MYR 91.2

13.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 ₫1.4M

$71.4 MYR 283

-26.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 ₫2.0M

$94.5 MYR 375

-19.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 ₫9.5M

$372 MYR 1,473

-3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 ₫6.5M

$168 MYR 667

47.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ₫19.1M

$641 MYR 2,540

13.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₫12.0M

$368 MYR 1,461

24.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,870 ₫101.7M

$1,889 MYR 7,492

104.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,283 ₫33.7M

$1,133 MYR 4,492

13.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$353 ₫9.3M

$598 MYR 2,370

-40.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

3.8

180.79%

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

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Da Nang versus $372 in Kota Kinabalu. 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 69% higher in Kota Kinabalu, 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 $19.00 in Da Nang versus $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $269 – 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 Kinabalu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $720 in Da Nang, $840 in Kota Kinabalu – roughly 17% apart. Kota Kinabalu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,080 per month in Da Nang and $1,260 in Kota Kinabalu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 43% more in Kota Kinabalu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang and $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $720 in Da Nang and $840 in Kota Kinabalu, 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 $720 in Da Nang to $840 in Kota Kinabalu. 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 Da Nang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kota Kinabalu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.