Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,048 per month in Johor Bahru vs $868 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,549 per month in Johor Bahru vs $1,419 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,050 per month in Johor Bahru vs $1,970 in Da Nang, rent included.

Johor Bahru costs about 21% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Johor Bahru and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Johor Bahru 23% lower, Da Nang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 MYR 15.05

$2.35 ₫61.1K

56.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.22 MYR 86.9

$19.28 ₫501.4K

10.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 MYR 20.01

$4.71 ₫122.5K

3.82%

Cappuccino

$2.93 MYR 12.01

$1.80 ₫46.8K

62.78%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$0.69 ₫18.0K

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.32 ₫8,205

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.97

$1.31 ₫34.1K

235.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 MYR 25.88

$2.30 ₫59.8K

174.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$1.50 ₫38.9K

11.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$1.25 ₫32.5K

-11.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.86

$1.05 ₫27.3K

36.19%

Eggs

$1.68 MYR 6.89

$1.52 ₫39.6K

10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.49 MYR 75.7

$13.04 ₫339.1K

41.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 19.13

$4.05 ₫105.4K

15.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MYR 43.91

$9.26 ₫240.8K

15.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.48

$2.60 ₫67.6K

26.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.21

$1.10 ₫28.7K

60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MYR 15.34

$1.29 ₫33.5K

190.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$1.40 ₫36.3K

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.79

$1.13 ₫29.5K

24.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$1.22 ₫31.9K

36.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.01 ₫26.3K

36.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.52 ₫13.6K

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 17.32

$1.57 ₫40.7K

169.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 MYR 58.9

$7.48 ₫194.6K

92.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 12.11

$0.83 ₫21.5K

256.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MYR 12.63

$2.18 ₫56.6K

41.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.32 ₫8,200

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.79

$5.04 ₫131.1K

141.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$1.04 ₫26.9K

37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 MYR 3.09

$0.62 ₫16.1K

20.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.99 MYR 40.88

$19.13 ₫497.4K

-47.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$0.83 ₫21.6K

-1.20%

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

$42.6K MYR 174.3K

$30.8K ₫799.8M

38.46%

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

$35.7K MYR 146.2K

$28.4K ₫738.1M

25.85%

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

$53.6 MYR 219

$88.5 ₫2.3M

-39.51%

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

$11.39 MYR 46.60

$6.00 ₫156.0K

89.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.27 MYR 116

$7.95 ₫206.7K

255.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 MYR 165

$22.83 ₫593.8K

76.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.72

$5.41 ₫140.7K

7.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.61

$3.13 ₫81.3K

53.04%

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

$161 MYR 658

$163 ₫4.2M

-1.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,523 MYR 18.5K

$15.3K ₫397.3M

-70.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 MYR 220

$44.57 ₫1.2M

20.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.30 MYR 66.7

$27.95 ₫726.9K

-41.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 MYR 340

$100 ₫2.6M

-16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 MYR 401

$80.2 ₫2.1M

22.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 MYR 2,108

$535 ₫13.9M

-3.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,625

$342 ₫8.9M

16.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 MYR 3,702

$1,025 ₫26.6M

-11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,615

$787 ₫20.5M

-18.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,058 MYR 8,423

$3,825 ₫99.5M

-46.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,177 MYR 4,818

$1,283 ₫33.4M

-8.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,090 MYR 4,460

$360 ₫9.4M

203.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

10.72

-62.13%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 14, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Johor Bahru versus $535 in Da Nang. 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 203% higher in Johor Bahru, 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 $21.00 in Johor Bahru versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $196 – 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

Johor Bahru vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,048 in Johor Bahru, $868 in Da Nang – roughly 21% apart. Johor Bahru costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,572 per month in Johor Bahru and $1,302 in Da Nang. 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 38% more in Johor Bahru, 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 $21.00 in Johor Bahru and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $868, than in Johor Bahru at $1,048. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johor Bahru it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $868 in Da Nang to $1,048 in Johor Bahru. 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, Johor Bahru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.