Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Veliky Novgorod Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Veliky Novgorod

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $848 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,059 in Veliky Novgorod.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,663 in Veliky Novgorod.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Kota Kinabalu versus $2,268 in Veliky Novgorod.

Living in Kota Kinabalu costs roughly 20% less than in Veliky Novgorod, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota Kinabalu 36% lower, Veliky Novgorod 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.42

$9.36 ₽731

-62.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.9

$49.22 ₽3,846

-62.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$5.64 ₽441

-18.09%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 11.05

$2.49 ₽194

8.43%

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

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$1.12 ₽87.5

-41.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.58 ₽45.60

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MYR 9.80

$1.87 ₽146

28.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MYR 14.43

$2.52 ₽197

40.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MYR 7.20

$1.17 ₽91.7

50.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.89 ₽69.3

35.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.18

$1.59 ₽124

10.06%

Eggs

$2.78 MYR 11.36

$1.86 ₽146

49.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.05 MYR 107

$12.39 ₽968

110.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.78

$3.75 ₽293

-3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 MYR 28.89

$10.56 ₽825

-33.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.30

$1.69 ₽132

49.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$1.24 ₽96.8

-6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 MYR 13.08

$1.96 ₽153

63.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.11

$3.41 ₽266

-41.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.18

$0.84 ₽65.7

79.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.26

$0.64 ₽49.64

176.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.63

$1.30 ₽102

-13.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.79 ₽61.6

-35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.08

$2.92 ₽228

42.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 MYR 64.1

$6.60 ₽515

137.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.85

$1.06 ₽82.8

81.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$2.06 ₽161

-21.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 MYR 6.37

$0.48 ₽37.72

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.74 MYR 167

$35.61 ₽2,782

14.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 MYR 7.61

$1.24 ₽96.7

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$0.59 ₽46.22

-20.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MYR 23.62

$7.82 ₽611

-26.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.71 ₽55.8

-35.21%

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

$29.4K MYR 120.1K

$38.7K ₽3.0M

-24.09%

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

$27.2K MYR 111.4K

$37.7K ₽2.9M

-27.77%

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

$52.5 MYR 215

$131 ₽10.2K

-59.95%

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

$9.29 MYR 38.02

$6.77 ₽529

37.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 MYR 135

$7.06 ₽552

367.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.88 MYR 180

$31.32 ₽2,447

40.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 12.23

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MYR 18.64

$5.61 ₽438

-18.72%

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

$128 MYR 525

$390 ₽30.5K

-67.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,486 MYR 18.4K

$9,507 ₽742.7K

-52.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 MYR 243

$101 ₽7,867

-41.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.13 MYR 94.7

$54.9 ₽4,292

-57.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 MYR 290

$113 ₽8,851

-37.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 MYR 384

$133 ₽10.4K

-29.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,547

$442 ₽34.5K

-14.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 687

$310 ₽24.2K

-45.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,660

$769 ₽60.1K

-15.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MYR 1,483

$510 ₽39.9K

-28.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 MYR 7,339

$1,652 ₽129.1K

8.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 MYR 4,443

$1,286 ₽100.5K

-15.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 MYR 2,433

$769 ₽60.1K

-22.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

24.95

-84.77%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: July 12, 2026

Last update for Veliky Novgorod: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Kota Kinabalu and $442 in Veliky Novgorod. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Veliky Novgorod pays 29% 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 $49.00 in Veliky Novgorod. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $204, with Veliky Novgorod 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 Veliky Novgorod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Veliky Novgorod. 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 29% lower in Veliky Novgorod. 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 $442 in Veliky Novgorod. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 14% less than in Veliky Novgorod. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $128 in Kota Kinabalu versus $390 in Veliky Novgorod. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $848 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,059 in Veliky Novgorod, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Veliky Novgorod. 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 $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 Veliky Novgorod 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 25% less than in Veliky Novgorod. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.