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: $937 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,126 in Szekesfehervar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,873 in Szekesfehervar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,983 in Kota Kinabalu versus $2,620 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 32% lower, Szekesfehervar 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.72

$9.90 Ft 3,140

-63.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.15 MYR 81.5

$63.2 Ft 20.0K

-68.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 MYR 20.35

$9.04 Ft 2,866

-44.36%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MYR 11.16

$2.25 Ft 713

22.67%

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

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$1.50 Ft 477

-62.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.35

$1.07 Ft 338

-69.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 MYR 10.10

$2.12 Ft 673

17.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 MYR 14.85

$2.40 Ft 762

52.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.46

$1.20 Ft 382

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 MYR 5.49

$1.44 Ft 458

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.34

$2.61 Ft 828

-11.49%

Eggs

$3.60 MYR 14.56

$3.71 Ft 1,175

-2.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.42 MYR 115

$10.20 Ft 3,234

178.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 MYR 14.69

$6.41 Ft 2,032

-43.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 MYR 27.42

$16.43 Ft 5,211

-58.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 MYR 9.25

$2.16 Ft 685

6.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.61

$2.26 Ft 715

-38.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.81

$2.13 Ft 675

-9.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.19

$3.23 Ft 1,023

-37.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.18

$1.10 Ft 348

61.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 MYR 8.72

$1.12 Ft 355

92.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.19

$1.62 Ft 513

-35.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.77

$0.53 Ft 169

-16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 MYR 19.31

$6.86 Ft 2,175

-30.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.33 MYR 66.0

$3.24 Ft 1,028

404.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 MYR 14.91

$1.33 Ft 421

177.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MYR 10.21

$2.08 Ft 659

21.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 MYR 7.90

$1.29 Ft 410

51.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.28 MYR 171

$27.12 Ft 8,600

55.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 MYR 7.89

$3.15 Ft 1,000

-38.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MYR 0.97

$1.74 Ft 551

-86.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.28 Ft 6,115

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 MYR 2.83

$1.94 Ft 615

-63.92%

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

$41.7K MYR 168.8K

$28.2K Ft 8.9M

48.21%

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

$35.6K MYR 143.8K

$31.3K Ft 9.9M

13.70%

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

$68.8 MYR 278

$136 Ft 43.0K

-49.33%

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

$9.77 MYR 39.48

$28.14 Ft 8,924

-65.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.19 MYR 130

$20.28 Ft 6,429

58.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MYR 213

$47.35 Ft 15.0K

11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.06 MYR 12.37

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 MYR 21.86

$8.50 Ft 2,695

-36.35%

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

$144 MYR 581

$260 Ft 82.4K

-44.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,144 MYR 28.9K

$6,875 Ft 2.2M

3.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 MYR 342

$70.6 Ft 22.4K

19.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 MYR 152

$25.71 Ft 8,152

46.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 MYR 382

$78.9 Ft 25.0K

19.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.80 MYR 197

$88.5 Ft 28.1K

-44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MYR 1,733

$414 Ft 131.2K

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MYR 788

$324 Ft 102.9K

-39.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 MYR 2,750

$665 Ft 210.8K

2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,529

$675 Ft 214.1K

-43.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,845 MYR 7,458

$3,492 Ft 1.1M

-47.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 MYR 4,417

$3,155 Ft 1.0M

-65.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 MYR 2,354

$1,548 Ft 490.8K

-62.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

6.67

-41.53%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Szekesfehervar: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Kota Kinabalu and $414 in Szekesfehervar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Szekesfehervar pays 166% 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: $20.00 in Kota Kinabalu vs $63.0 in Szekesfehervar. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $248, 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 20% 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 166% 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: $429 in Kota Kinabalu versus $414 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 56% less than in Szekesfehervar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $144 in Kota Kinabalu versus $260 in Szekesfehervar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $937 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,126 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 $937 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 20% less than in Szekesfehervar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.