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: $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,012 in Szekesfehervar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,633 in Szekesfehervar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,865 in Kota Kinabalu versus $2,253 in Szekesfehervar.

Living in Kota Kinabalu costs roughly 17% less than in Szekesfehervar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota Kinabalu 37% lower, Szekesfehervar 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$11.09 Ft 3,382

-68.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.05 MYR 75.6

$58.3 Ft 17.8K

-67.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 18.53

$9.02 Ft 2,750

-48.23%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MYR 10.32

$1.91 Ft 581

36.13%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$1.28 Ft 390

-46.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.46

$0.88 Ft 268

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 MYR 9.45

$1.90 Ft 578

25.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.91

$2.52 Ft 767

39.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.12 Ft 342

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$1.71 Ft 523

-27.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.72

$2.10 Ft 640

-19.05%

Eggs

$2.89 MYR 11.47

$2.68 Ft 816

7.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.74 MYR 102

$7.76 Ft 2,367

231.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.65

$6.08 Ft 1,853

-43.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 MYR 29.45

$14.87 Ft 4,535

-50.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$1.83 Ft 557

39.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.62

$1.77 Ft 539

-34.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MYR 12.46

$1.87 Ft 571

67.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.58

$2.83 Ft 863

-32.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.06 Ft 323

43.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.79

$1.19 Ft 362

43.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.49

$1.39 Ft 423

-18.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.88

$0.44 Ft 135

6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$6.32 Ft 1,928

-33.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 MYR 64.6

$3.25 Ft 991

401.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 MYR 7.35

$0.99 Ft 303

86.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MYR 6.37

$1.42 Ft 433

13.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 MYR 6.00

$1.18 Ft 360

27.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.03 MYR 163

$24.71 Ft 7,537

66.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.54

$2.80 Ft 853

-32.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$1.14 Ft 348

-59.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 MYR 22.80

$17.44 Ft 5,318

-67.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$1.72 Ft 525

-73.26%

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

$29.6K MYR 117.2K

$25.4K Ft 7.7M

16.49%

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

$27.1K MYR 107.6K

$25.2K Ft 7.7M

7.84%

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

$51.6 MYR 205

$106 Ft 32.2K

-51.13%

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

$9.22 MYR 36.55

$25.07 Ft 7,644

-63.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.25 MYR 128

$18.57 Ft 5,663

73.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.54 MYR 173

$45.98 Ft 14.0K

-5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 11.87

$16.66 Ft 5,081

-82.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.76

$6.46 Ft 1,970

-26.78%

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

$132 MYR 523

$220 Ft 67.1K

-40.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,506 MYR 17.9K

$6,228 Ft 1.9M

-27.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 MYR 240

$64.3 Ft 19.6K

-5.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 MYR 91.2

$22.72 Ft 6,930

1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 MYR 283

$72.5 Ft 22.1K

-1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 MYR 375

$79.9 Ft 24.4K

18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,473

$367 Ft 112.0K

1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 667

$285 Ft 86.9K

-40.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,540

$589 Ft 179.5K

8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,461

$517 Ft 157.5K

-28.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 MYR 7,492

$3,639 Ft 1.1M

-48.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,133 MYR 4,492

$3,257 Ft 993.4K

-65.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 MYR 2,370

$1,609 Ft 490.8K

-62.86%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Szekesfehervar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $372 in Kota Kinabalu and $367 in Szekesfehervar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Szekesfehervar pays 169% 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 $58.0 in Szekesfehervar. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $218, 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 21% 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, Szekesfehervar earns 169% less. 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: $372 in Kota Kinabalu versus $367 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 66% less than in Szekesfehervar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $132 in Kota Kinabalu versus $220 in Szekesfehervar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,012 in Szekesfehervar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Szekesfehervar. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Kinabalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $840 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 21% less than in Szekesfehervar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.