Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Bhagalpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Bhagalpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $714 per month in Kota Bharu vs $278 in Bhagalpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Kota Bharu vs $458 in Bhagalpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,414 per month in Kota Bharu vs $638 in Bhagalpur, rent included.

Kota Bharu costs about 157% more than Bhagalpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kota Bharu and Bhagalpur are more affordable than the global median – Kota Bharu 48% lower, Bhagalpur 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 MYR 9.14

$2.13 ₹203

5.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.05 MYR 61.2

$9.51 ₹909

58.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 19.92

$2.61 ₹249

87.74%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MYR 8.65

$1.39 ₹133

53.24%

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

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.36 ₹34.31

30.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.14

$0.17 ₹16.08

64.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MYR 9.92

$1.63 ₹156

49.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.16

$3.09 ₹296

44.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$0.56 ₹53.4

191.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.79

$0.40 ₹38.12

132.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$0.49 ₹46.39

63.27%

Eggs

$1.59 MYR 6.48

$0.96 ₹91.5

65.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.35 MYR 62.5

$4.39 ₹419

249.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 MYR 12.72

$2.23 ₹213

40.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 MYR 27.42

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.82

$1.42 ₹136

69.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.90

$0.51 ₹48.65

184.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 MYR 9.27

$1.01 ₹96.9

125.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.65

$0.42 ₹40.06

171.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.63

$0.35 ₹33.88

154.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 MYR 3.19

$0.35 ₹33.61

122.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.28 ₹26.63

157.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.28 ₹26.54

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 MYR 13.80

$4.97 ₹475

-31.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.38 MYR 87.0

$6.39 ₹611

234.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MYR 10.20

$1.49 ₹142

68.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.33

$2.17 ₹207

73.73%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.84 ₹654

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$0.20 ₹19.10

255.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 50.2

$4.68 ₹447

163.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.10

$1.30 ₹124

-3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.17 ₹16.60

176.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 MYR 15.17

$1.88 ₹180

98.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.07 ₹102

-54.21%

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

$32.1K MYR 130.8K

$17.3K ₹1.7M

86.00%

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

$28.5K MYR 115.8K

$22.4K ₹2.1M

27.04%

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

$50.5 MYR 205

$21.10 ₹2,016

139.38%

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

$8.40 MYR 34.16

$2.79 ₹267

201.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.44 MYR 112

$6.59 ₹630

316.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 MYR 204

$12.44 ₹1,189

303.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ₹379

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 MYR 17.82

$2.05 ₹196

113.66%

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

$122 MYR 496

$27.90 ₹2,666

336.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,993 MYR 20.3K

$2,004 ₹191.5K

149.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 MYR 225

$21.54 ₹2,058

156.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.86 MYR 80.8

$14.21 ₹1,358

39.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 MYR 300

$38.02 ₹3,633

94.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 MYR 358

$25.78 ₹2,463

241.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 MYR 1,017

$53.5 ₹5,107

367.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 MYR 511

$36.49 ₹3,486

244.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MYR 2,737

$140 ₹13.4K

379.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 MYR 912

$105 ₹10.0K

113.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,286 ₹122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 ₹81.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$291 MYR 1,184

$275 ₹26.3K

5.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

-44.63%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bhagalpur: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $250 in Kota Bharu versus $53.5 in Bhagalpur. 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 6% higher in Kota Bharu, 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 $15.00 in Kota Bharu versus $10.00 in Bhagalpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $87.0 – making Bhagalpur 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

Kota Bharu vs Bhagalpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kota Bharu is pricier by about 157%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,072 per month in Kota Bharu and $417 in Bhagalpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Kota Bharu and $10.00 in Bhagalpur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $714 in Kota Bharu and $278 in Bhagalpur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $714 in Kota Bharu and $278 in Bhagalpur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bhagalpur – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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