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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $661 per month in Kota Bharu vs $691 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,134 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,088 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,608 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,484 in Chengdu, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 4% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kota Bharu and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Kota Bharu 50% lower, Chengdu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$2.84 ¥19.16

-38.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.83 MYR 85.0

$23.43 ¥158

-11.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 MYR 17.74

$4.94 ¥33.36

-12.15%

Cappuccino

$2.41 MYR 9.85

$2.79 ¥18.85

-13.62%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.43 ¥2.93

13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.02

$0.30 ¥2.03

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.68

$1.14 ¥7.67

279.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MYR 16.88

$2.11 ¥14.23

95.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MYR 6.14

$1.79 ¥12.11

-16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 MYR 3.29

$1.45 ¥9.77

-44.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$0.91 ¥6.17

-7.69%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.31

$1.92 ¥12.97

-19.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 MYR 62.2

$13.62 ¥91.9

11.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.60

$3.65 ¥24.65

-22.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 MYR 25.40

$11.42 ¥77.1

-45.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.84 ¥12.40

-21.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.23 ¥8.30

12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.80

$1.44 ¥9.72

-1.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.73

$1.06 ¥7.18

-14.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MYR 3.18

$0.71 ¥4.80

9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$0.70 ¥4.74

71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.69

$0.60 ¥4.02

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.77

$0.57 ¥3.84

-24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MYR 12.47

$3.40 ¥22.92

-10.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.66 MYR 88.4

$5.44 ¥36.72

298.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MYR 5.70

$0.94 ¥6.36

48.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.87

$1.88 ¥12.71

80.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.43 ¥2.92

69.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.75 MYR 47.99

$27.82 ¥188

-57.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$1.22 ¥8.25

-39.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$0.28 ¥1.91

92.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 MYR 14.68

$4.28 ¥28.87

-16.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$1.12 ¥7.56

-56.25%

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

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

$18.7K ¥126.0K

66.89%

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

$27.8K MYR 113.4K

$16.7K ¥112.5K

66.70%

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

$38.50 MYR 157

$44.08 ¥298

-12.66%

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

$8.40 MYR 34.31

$11.44 ¥77.2

-26.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 MYR 107

$11.59 ¥78.2

126.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.55 MYR 149

$23.88 ¥161

53.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 MYR 24.46

$11.59 ¥78.2

-48.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 17.57

$5.43 ¥36.66

-20.81%

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

$120 MYR 490

$342 ¥2,310

-64.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,138 MYR 25.1K

$12.3K ¥83.0K

-50.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 MYR 215

$36.64 ¥247

43.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.22 MYR 78.5

$38.88 ¥262

-50.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 247

$66.4 ¥448

-8.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 MYR 219

$51.5 ¥347

4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 MYR 1,045

$310 ¥2,095

-17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MYR 574

$180 ¥1,216

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 MYR 3,494

$611 ¥4,125

40.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,948

$324 ¥2,187

47.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 ¥25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ¥12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$290 MYR 1,183

$1,258 ¥8,491

-76.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.21

-1.19%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Kota Bharu versus $310 in Chengdu. 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 334% higher in Chengdu, 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 Kota Bharu versus $23.00 in Chengdu. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Kota Bharu vs $197 in Chengdu – so Chengdu 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $661 in Kota Bharu, $691 in Chengdu – roughly 5% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $991 per month in Kota Bharu and $1,037 in Chengdu. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Kota Bharu and $23.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $661 in Kota Bharu and $691 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $661 in Kota Bharu and $691 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kota Bharu – 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 Kota Bharu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chengdu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.