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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $709 per month in Kota Bharu vs $839 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,362 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,412 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,885 in Da Nang, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 15% cheaper than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kota Bharu and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Kota Bharu 48% lower, Da Nang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 MYR 8.84

$2.27 ₫59.3K

-3.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.50 MYR 62.6

$19.50 ₫508.9K

-20.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.24

$4.73 ₫123.5K

5.92%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MYR 8.84

$1.69 ₫44.0K

29.59%

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

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$0.68 ₫17.8K

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.14

$0.36 ₫9,491

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MYR 9.84

$1.36 ₫35.4K

79.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 17.77

$2.23 ₫58.1K

97.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MYR 6.28

$1.42 ₫37.0K

9.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.70

$1.27 ₫33.2K

-27.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.39

$1.04 ₫27.1K

-19.23%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.24

$1.53 ₫39.9K

1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 MYR 62.6

$12.95 ₫337.9K

19.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.62

$4.08 ₫106.4K

-23.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.52 MYR 26.34

$9.11 ₫237.8K

-28.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 MYR 9.70

$2.57 ₫67.1K

-6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.90

$1.07 ₫27.8K

36.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 MYR 9.24

$1.32 ₫34.6K

73.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.54

$1.44 ₫37.6K

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MYR 3.57

$1.12 ₫29.3K

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.22

$1.27 ₫33.1K

-37.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MYR 2.86

$1.05 ₫27.3K

-32.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.47 ₫12.3K

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MYR 13.64

$1.55 ₫40.6K

118.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.56 MYR 87.1

$7.85 ₫204.9K

174.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 MYR 10.11

$0.90 ₫23.5K

177.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.59

$2.07 ₫54.1K

74.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$0.33 ₫8,623

130.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.55 MYR 50.7

$3.86 ₫100.7K

225.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$1.03 ₫27.0K

22.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$0.61 ₫15.9K

-16.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 MYR 14.68

$19.18 ₫500.7K

-81.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.93

$0.90 ₫23.4K

-46.67%

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

$31.6K MYR 127.5K

$30.8K ₫803.3M

2.57%

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

$28.5K MYR 115.2K

$28.1K ₫732.4M

1.63%

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

$51.0 MYR 206

$88.5 ₫2.3M

-42.40%

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

$8.40 MYR 33.94

$6.27 ₫163.6K

33.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.51 MYR 111

$7.99 ₫208.4K

244.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.56 MYR 200

$22.06 ₫575.8K

124.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 ₫137.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 17.39

$3.10 ₫81.0K

38.71%

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

$124 MYR 500

$162 ₫4.2M

-23.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,037 MYR 20.4K

$14.8K ₫385.7M

-65.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 MYR 219

$44.47 ₫1.2M

21.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.56 MYR 79.0

$27.74 ₫724.1K

-29.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MYR 299

$99.0 ₫2.6M

-25.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 MYR 355

$82.1 ₫2.1M

6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 MYR 985

$526 ₫13.7M

-53.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 MYR 507

$338 ₫8.8M

-62.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 MYR 2,753

$969 ₫25.3M

-29.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 MYR 906

$744 ₫19.4M

-69.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 ₫100.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,278 ₫33.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 MYR 1,197

$359 ₫9.4M

-17.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

10.72

-58.68%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: August 16, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Kota Bharu versus $526 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 21% higher in Da Nang, 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 $20.00 in Da Nang. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Kota Bharu vs $196 in Da Nang – so Da Nang 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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $709 in Kota Bharu, $839 in Da Nang – roughly 18% apart. Da Nang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,063 per month in Kota Bharu and $1,258 in Da Nang. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Da Nang – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Kota Bharu and $20.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $709 in Kota Bharu and $839 in Da Nang, 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 $709 in Kota Bharu to $839 in Da Nang. 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 Kota Bharu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Da Nang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.