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 $834 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,203 in Antalya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,345 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,761 in Antalya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $2,318 in Antalya, rent included.

Kota Kinabalu is about 31% cheaper than Antalya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kota Kinabalu and Antalya are more affordable than the global median – Kota Kinabalu 38% lower, Antalya 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 14.01

$8.96 ₺414

-61.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.87 MYR 76.5

$43.99 ₺2,035

-57.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.55

$9.29 ₺430

-50.70%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 10.94

$3.31 ₺153

-18.43%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$1.08 ₺50.1

-37.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$0.36 ₺16.50

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MYR 9.43

$3.92 ₺181

-40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 MYR 14.02

$3.73 ₺172

-7.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.03 ₺47.77

70.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.85

$0.92 ₺42.35

30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.14

$2.24 ₺104

-21.43%

Eggs

$2.77 MYR 11.23

$2.21 ₺102

25.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.08 MYR 106

$10.95 ₺506

138.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 MYR 13.89

$6.08 ₺281

-43.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 MYR 29.94

$17.86 ₺826

-58.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 10.19

$1.18 ₺54.6

112.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.78

$2.11 ₺97.5

-44.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.23

$1.06 ₺49.19

207.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.83

$1.30 ₺60.0

48.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.19

$0.71 ₺32.88

115.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.87

$0.58 ₺26.62

193.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$0.94 ₺43.65

18.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.39 ₺18.17

28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 MYR 16.22

$2.15 ₺99.7

86.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.03 MYR 65.0

$9.14 ₺423

75.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 MYR 7.44

$2.20 ₺102

-16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 MYR 6.76

$2.92 ₺135

-42.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 MYR 6.14

$0.72 ₺33.51

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.18 MYR 167

$30.68 ₺1,419

34.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.47

$0.79 ₺36.46

132.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.78

$0.71 ₺32.71

-38.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 23.84

$5.85 ₺271

0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.24 ₺57.3

-62.10%

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

$30.0K MYR 121.6K

$64.8K ₺3.0M

-53.72%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.2K

$55.8K ₺2.6M

-50.83%

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

$50.7 MYR 206

$73.8 ₺3,413

-31.23%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.22

$9.98 ₺462

-8.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.64 MYR 132

$13.48 ₺624

142.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.02 MYR 179

$41.88 ₺1,938

5.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.89 MYR 11.71

$13.38 ₺619

-78.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 MYR 18.45

$5.68 ₺263

-19.89%

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

$129 MYR 524

$664 ₺30.7K

-80.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,421 MYR 17.9K

$10.9K ₺503.4K

-59.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 243

$56.8 ₺2,628

5.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.86 MYR 92.7

$35.96 ₺1,664

-36.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 MYR 292

$103 ₺4,754

-29.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 MYR 381

$78.3 ₺3,623

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,556

$615 ₺28.4K

-37.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MYR 659

$470 ₺21.7K

-65.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,651

$1,007 ₺46.6K

-35.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 MYR 1,502

$666 ₺30.8K

-44.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 MYR 7,336

$2,402 ₺111.1K

-24.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,081 MYR 4,384

$1,353 ₺62.6K

-20.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 MYR 2,430

$962 ₺44.5K

-37.68%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Antalya: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $384 in Kota Kinabalu versus $615 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 60% 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 – $271 in Kota Kinabalu vs $230 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 44%, 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 $1,250 per month in Kota Kinabalu and $1,805 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 $834 in Kota Kinabalu and $1,203 in Antalya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% 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 $834, than in Antalya at $1,203. 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.