Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Kyiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Kyiv

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $943 in Johor Bahru versus $986 in Kyiv.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Johor Bahru versus $1,485 in Kyiv.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,826 in Johor Bahru versus $1,984 in Kyiv.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 4% less than in Kyiv, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 30% lower, Kyiv 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.56

$8.21 ₴369

-56.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$31.19 ₴1,401

-39.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$5.94 ₴267

-21.04%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 12.23

$1.62 ₴72.7

86.42%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.62 ₴27.89

27.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.46 ₴20.53

-2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.78

$1.12 ₴50.4

225.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 MYR 26.90

$1.83 ₴82.4

262.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.37

$1.30 ₴58.3

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$0.78 ₴35.03

19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.25

$1.84 ₴82.7

-29.89%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.96 ₴88.2

-4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 MYR 43.49

$9.90 ₴445

8.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 MYR 14.17

$4.39 ₴197

-20.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 MYR 33.29

$7.68 ₴345

6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.21

$1.02 ₴46.03

171.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.00

$1.59 ₴71.6

-6.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.04

$1.77 ₴79.5

40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$2.32 ₴104

-45.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.61

$0.86 ₴38.43

32.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.38

$0.60 ₴26.85

121.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$1.37 ₴61.6

-31.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.30

$0.54 ₴24.34

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.98

$2.93 ₴132

43.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 MYR 57.1

$5.75 ₴258

144.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.72

$0.91 ₴40.70

190.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.90

$1.62 ₴73.0

80.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.21 ₴9.65

252.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.67 MYR 47.34

$9.62 ₴432

21.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.13

$2.10 ₴94.2

-51.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$0.35 ₴15.69

182.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 MYR 38.15

$4.25 ₴191

121.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$1.42 ₴64.0

-67.61%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

$31.2K ₴1.4M

14.64%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

$25.0K ₴1.1M

9.72%

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

$41.08 MYR 167

$111 ₴4,989

-63.01%

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

$9.14 MYR 37.06

$5.65 ₴254

61.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 MYR 123

$6.96 ₴313

334.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 MYR 142

$37.07 ₴1,665

-5.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 MYR 24.37

$16.42 ₴738

-63.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$4.70 ₴211

7.23%

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

$184 MYR 746

$377 ₴16.9K

-51.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

$7,761 ₴348.7K

-10.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.20 MYR 200

$68.6 ₴3,080

-28.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MYR 77.3

$35.94 ₴1,614

-46.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 MYR 219

$103 ₴4,630

-47.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 MYR 165

$114 ₴5,119

-64.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,901

$602 ₴27.0K

-22.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,611

$350 ₴15.7K

13.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 MYR 3,311

$1,288 ₴57.9K

-36.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 MYR 2,478

$616 ₴27.7K

-0.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 MYR 8,432

$2,621 ₴117.7K

-20.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 MYR 4,714

$1,148 ₴51.6K

1.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,108 MYR 4,492

$757 ₴34.0K

46.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

19.34

-78.96%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kyiv: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Johor Bahru and $602 in Kyiv. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Johor Bahru vs $31.00 in Kyiv. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $179, with Kyiv 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

Johor Bahru vs Kyiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru and Kyiv differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($943 vs $986 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Johor Bahru pays 46% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $469 in Johor Bahru versus $602 in Kyiv. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $31.00 in Kyiv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $943 per month in Johor Bahru versus $986 in Kyiv – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $943 in Johor Bahru versus $986 in Kyiv, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Kyiv. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru 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, Johor Bahru and Kyiv 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Kyiv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.