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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $848 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,003 in Szekesfehervar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,641 in Szekesfehervar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Kota Kinabalu versus $2,278 in Szekesfehervar.

Living in Kota Kinabalu costs roughly 15% less than in Szekesfehervar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota Kinabalu 36% lower, Szekesfehervar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.41

$11.36 Ft 3,610

-69.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.8

$56.7 Ft 18.0K

-67.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$8.92 Ft 2,833

-48.21%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 11.04

$1.92 Ft 609

40.63%

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

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$1.28 Ft 408

-49.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.96 Ft 304

-59.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$1.89 Ft 601

26.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 14.42

$2.49 Ft 790

41.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.06 Ft 338

66.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.69 Ft 538

-28.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$2.14 Ft 680

-18.22%

Eggs

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.78 Ft 883

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.05 MYR 107

$7.63 Ft 2,423

241.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.77

$5.90 Ft 1,875

-38.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 MYR 28.87

$14.75 Ft 4,688

-52.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.29

$1.91 Ft 608

31.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$1.85 Ft 587

-37.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 MYR 13.07

$1.97 Ft 625

62.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.10

$2.81 Ft 893

-29.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$1.02 Ft 325

48.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$1.19 Ft 377

48.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.63

$1.43 Ft 453

-20.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.44 Ft 140

15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.07

$6.03 Ft 1,915

-30.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 MYR 64.0

$3.16 Ft 1,003

395.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$0.94 Ft 300

104.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$1.46 Ft 462

10.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 MYR 6.36

$1.14 Ft 361

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.74 MYR 167

$24.90 Ft 7,912

63.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$2.75 Ft 875

-32.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.20 Ft 380

-60.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MYR 23.61

$17.06 Ft 5,420

-66.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.73 Ft 551

-73.41%

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

$29.4K MYR 120.0K

$25.9K Ft 8.2M

13.18%

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

$27.2K MYR 111.4K

$25.6K Ft 8.1M

6.34%

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

$52.5 MYR 215

$104 Ft 33.0K

-49.46%

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

$9.29 MYR 38.00

$24.65 Ft 7,832

-62.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 MYR 135

$18.37 Ft 5,836

79.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.88 MYR 179

$46.37 Ft 14.7K

-5.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$17.02 Ft 5,410

-82.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MYR 18.63

$6.76 Ft 2,148

-32.54%

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

$128 MYR 525

$222 Ft 70.6K

-42.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,486 MYR 18.3K

$6,408 Ft 2.0M

-29.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 MYR 243

$64.0 Ft 20.3K

-7.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.13 MYR 94.6

$22.77 Ft 7,235

1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 MYR 290

$71.2 Ft 22.6K

-0.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 MYR 384

$78.3 Ft 24.9K

19.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,546

$378 Ft 120.0K

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 687

$292 Ft 92.8K

-42.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,658

$595 Ft 189.0K

9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MYR 1,483

$523 Ft 166.3K

-30.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 MYR 7,334

$3,517 Ft 1.1M

-49.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 MYR 4,440

$3,161 Ft 1.0M

-65.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 MYR 2,432

$1,517 Ft 482.1K

-60.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

5.85

-35.04%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: July 12, 2026

Last update for Szekesfehervar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Kota Kinabalu and $378 in Szekesfehervar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Szekesfehervar pays 155% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu vs $57.0 in Szekesfehervar. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $217, with Szekesfehervar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Szekesfehervar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Szekesfehervar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Kinabalu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 155% lower in Szekesfehervar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $378 in Kota Kinabalu versus $378 in Szekesfehervar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 64% less than in Szekesfehervar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $128 in Kota Kinabalu versus $222 in Szekesfehervar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kota Kinabalu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $848 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kota Kinabalu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kota Kinabalu and Szekesfehervar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kota Kinabalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Szekesfehervar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.