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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $720 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,352 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,104 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,865 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,488 in Da Nang, rent included.

Kota Kinabalu costs about 17% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kota Kinabalu and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Kota Kinabalu 37% lower, Da Nang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$1.97 ₫51.8K

77.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.05 MYR 75.6

$18.92 ₫497.2K

0.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 18.53

$4.60 ₫120.8K

1.52%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MYR 10.32

$1.63 ₫42.9K

59.51%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.50 ₫13.1K

38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.46

$0.29 ₫7,495

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 MYR 9.45

$1.02 ₫26.9K

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.91

$1.60 ₫42.0K

119.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.43 ₫37.5K

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$1.02 ₫26.9K

21.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.72

$1.15 ₫30.3K

47.83%

Eggs

$2.89 MYR 11.47

$1.42 ₫37.4K

103.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.74 MYR 102

$12.25 ₫321.8K

110.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.65

$3.63 ₫95.5K

-5.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 MYR 29.45

$10.13 ₫266.3K

-26.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$2.75 ₫72.2K

-6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.62

$1.00 ₫26.2K

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MYR 12.46

$1.09 ₫28.6K

188.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.58

$1.07 ₫28.1K

78.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.13 ₫29.8K

34.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.79

$1.15 ₫30.2K

48.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.49

$1.04 ₫27.4K

8.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.88

$0.48 ₫12.6K

-2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$1.36 ₫35.7K

211.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 MYR 64.6

$7.71 ₫202.5K

111.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 MYR 7.35

$0.86 ₫22.7K

115.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MYR 6.37

$1.66 ₫43.7K

-3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 MYR 6.00

$0.32 ₫8,325

371.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.03 MYR 163

$3.92 ₫103.0K

946.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.54

$0.90 ₫23.6K

111.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.69 ₫18.0K

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 MYR 22.80

$11.67 ₫306.7K

-50.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.89 ₫23.4K

-48.31%

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

$29.6K MYR 117.2K

$26.8K ₫705.1M

10.18%

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

$27.1K MYR 107.6K

$28.1K ₫738.4M

-3.40%

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

$51.6 MYR 205

$74.3 ₫2.0M

-30.51%

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

$9.22 MYR 36.55

$5.71 ₫150.1K

61.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.25 MYR 128

$8.07 ₫212.1K

299.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.54 MYR 173

$20.37 ₫535.3K

113.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 11.87

$7.65 ₫201.0K

-60.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.76

$3.11 ₫81.6K

52.09%

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

$132 MYR 523

$156 ₫4.1M

-15.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,506 MYR 17.9K

$12.7K ₫333.9M

-64.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 MYR 240

$38.62 ₫1.0M

56.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 MYR 91.2

$26.00 ₫683.1K

-11.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 MYR 283

$52.7 ₫1.4M

35.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 MYR 375

$75.8 ₫2.0M

24.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,473

$360 ₫9.5M

3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 667

$249 ₫6.5M

-32.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,540

$727 ₫19.1M

-11.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,461

$459 ₫12.0M

-19.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 MYR 7,492

$3,870 ₫101.7M

-51.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,133 MYR 4,492

$1,283 ₫33.7M

-11.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 MYR 2,370

$353 ₫9.3M

69.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

10.67

-64.39%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Kota Kinabalu versus $360 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 69% higher in Kota Kinabalu, 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 $19.00 in Da Nang. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Kota Kinabalu vs $188 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 Kinabalu vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $840 in Kota Kinabalu, $720 in Da Nang – roughly 17% apart. Kota Kinabalu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,260 per month in Kota Kinabalu and $1,080 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 43% more in Kota Kinabalu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $840 in Kota Kinabalu and $720 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 $720 in Da Nang to $840 in Kota Kinabalu. 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 Da Nang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kota Kinabalu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.