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 $848 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $704 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,081 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,458 in Da Nang, rent included.

Kota Kinabalu costs about 21% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kota Kinabalu and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Kota Kinabalu 36% lower, Da Nang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.41

$1.93 ₫50.8K

82.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.8

$19.46 ₫511.6K

-4.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$4.65 ₫122.2K

-0.65%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 11.04

$1.61 ₫42.3K

67.70%

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

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$0.51 ₫13.4K

27.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.29 ₫7,592

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$1.07 ₫28.2K

124.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 14.42

$1.59 ₫41.7K

122.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.38 ₫36.3K

27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.95 ₫24.9K

27.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.17 ₫30.7K

49.57%

Eggs

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$1.43 ₫37.5K

94.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.05 MYR 107

$12.59 ₫331.0K

106.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.77

$3.64 ₫95.8K

-0.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 MYR 28.87

$9.79 ₫257.3K

-27.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.29

$2.76 ₫72.4K

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$0.94 ₫24.8K

23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 MYR 13.07

$1.12 ₫29.4K

185.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.10

$1.05 ₫27.6K

88.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$1.10 ₫28.9K

37.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.19 ₫31.4K

48.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.63

$1.00 ₫26.3K

13.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.48 ₫12.7K

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.07

$1.38 ₫36.3K

202.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 MYR 64.0

$7.52 ₫197.8K

108.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$0.81 ₫21.4K

137.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$1.60 ₫42.1K

1.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 MYR 6.36

$0.32 ₫8,321

387.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.74 MYR 167

$3.73 ₫98.2K

992.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$0.82 ₫21.5K

126.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.69 ₫18.3K

-31.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MYR 23.61

$12.03 ₫316.4K

-52.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.91 ₫24.0K

-49.45%

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

$29.4K MYR 120.0K

$27.2K ₫715.2M

7.90%

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

$27.2K MYR 111.4K

$28.1K ₫739.3M

-3.16%

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

$52.5 MYR 215

$74.1 ₫1.9M

-29.17%

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

$9.29 MYR 38.00

$5.97 ₫157.0K

55.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 MYR 135

$8.07 ₫212.3K

309.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.88 MYR 179

$20.06 ₫527.5K

118.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$7.52 ₫197.6K

-60.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MYR 18.63

$3.00 ₫78.9K

52.00%

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

$128 MYR 525

$153 ₫4.0M

-16.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,486 MYR 18.3K

$12.8K ₫336.9M

-64.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 MYR 243

$39.61 ₫1.0M

49.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.13 MYR 94.6

$25.60 ₫673.1K

-9.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 MYR 290

$52.7 ₫1.4M

34.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 MYR 384

$76.9 ₫2.0M

21.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,546

$365 ₫9.6M

3.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 687

$244 ₫6.4M

-31.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,658

$732 ₫19.2M

-11.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MYR 1,483

$458 ₫12.0M

-20.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 MYR 7,334

$3,767 ₫99.0M

-52.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 MYR 4,440

$1,304 ₫34.3M

-16.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 MYR 2,432

$359 ₫9.4M

65.61%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $378 in Kota Kinabalu versus $365 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 66% 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 – $270 in Kota Kinabalu vs $186 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: $848 in Kota Kinabalu, $704 in Da Nang – roughly 21% apart. Kota Kinabalu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,273 per month in Kota Kinabalu and $1,056 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 45% 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 $848 in Kota Kinabalu and $704 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 $704 in Da Nang to $848 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.