Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Antalya Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Antalya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $867 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,179 in Antalya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,375 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,745 in Antalya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,882 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $2,310 in Antalya, rent included.

Kota Kinabalu is about 26% cheaper than Antalya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kota Kinabalu and Antalya are more affordable than the global median – Kota Kinabalu 35% lower, Antalya 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.35

$9.23 ₺416

-60.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.97 MYR 74.9

$43.93 ₺1,983

-56.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.16

$9.40 ₺425

-48.40%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MYR 10.22

$3.38 ₺153

-23.37%

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

$0.64 MYR 2.53

$1.06 ₺47.71

-39.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.56

$0.35 ₺16.02

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.48

$3.90 ₺176

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 MYR 13.73

$3.83 ₺173

-9.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MYR 6.67

$1.04 ₺47.13

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 MYR 4.96

$0.87 ₺39.21

44.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 6.92

$2.27 ₺102

-22.91%

Eggs

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$2.29 ₺104

21.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.84 MYR 102

$10.99 ₺496

135.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 MYR 14.00

$6.06 ₺273

-41.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.31 MYR 28.87

$17.82 ₺804

-58.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.11

$1.13 ₺51.1

126.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.61

$2.14 ₺96.6

-45.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 MYR 13.02

$1.06 ₺47.72

211.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 MYR 7.94

$1.25 ₺56.3

60.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.06

$0.71 ₺32.21

115.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 6.97

$0.57 ₺25.56

210.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.22

$0.89 ₺40.01

20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.37 ₺16.50

35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 MYR 16.75

$2.17 ₺98.0

95.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$27.60 MYR 109

$6.81 ₺308

305.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 MYR 7.40

$2.19 ₺98.8

-14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MYR 6.71

$2.91 ₺131

-41.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 MYR 6.09

$0.67 ₺30.39

129.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.03 MYR 162

$30.14 ₺1,361

36.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 MYR 7.33

$0.73 ₺33.09

154.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 MYR 1.72

$0.70 ₺31.73

-38.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 22.92

$5.78 ₺261

0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.24 ₺56.2

-59.68%

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

$29.6K MYR 116.9K

$67.1K ₺3.0M

-55.88%

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

$27.8K MYR 109.7K

$55.6K ₺2.5M

-50.05%

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

$50.6 MYR 200

$73.1 ₺3,299

-30.71%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.47

$10.23 ₺462

-9.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.41 MYR 132

$13.32 ₺601

150.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.99 MYR 174

$42.06 ₺1,899

4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$13.30 ₺601

-78.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MYR 18.86

$5.65 ₺255

-15.58%

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

$131 MYR 519

$663 ₺29.9K

-80.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 MYR 17.4K

$11.1K ₺501.2K

-60.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$56.7 ₺2,560

5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.72 MYR 89.7

$35.09 ₺1,584

-35.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 MYR 275

$104 ₺4,675

-32.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 MYR 373

$81.3 ₺3,669

16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,495

$597 ₺27.0K

-36.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MYR 648

$469 ₺21.2K

-65.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,512

$1,017 ₺45.9K

-37.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,456

$659 ₺29.7K

-44.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,862 MYR 7,355

$2,464 ₺111.2K

-24.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,132 MYR 4,470

$1,328 ₺60.0K

-14.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$607 MYR 2,399

$916 ₺41.3K

-33.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

30.12

-87.38%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: April 28, 2026

Last update for Antalya: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $378 in Kota Kinabalu versus $597 in Antalya. 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 51% higher in Antalya, 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 $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu versus $44.00 in Antalya. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Kota Kinabalu vs $225 in Antalya – so Antalya 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 Kinabalu vs Antalya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Antalya is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,301 per month in Kota Kinabalu and $1,769 in Antalya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $867 in Kota Kinabalu and $1,179 in Antalya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Kota Kinabalu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kota Kinabalu, where all-in costs run around $867, than in Antalya at $1,179. In Kota Kinabalu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Antalya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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