Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Bintulu Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Bintulu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,082 in Kuala Lumpur versus $784 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,632 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,232 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,182 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,681 in Bintulu.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 38% more expensive than Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Bintulu 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.06

$3.74 MYR 14.82

28.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 MYR 110

$17.52 MYR 69.5

58.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.22

$5.71 MYR 22.64

-15.06%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$2.91 MYR 11.55

7.22%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$0.66 MYR 2.62

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.40 MYR 1.57

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$2.75 MYR 10.89

56.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 23.65

$5.00 MYR 19.84

19.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 7.90

$1.73 MYR 6.84

15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.01

$1.36 MYR 5.41

-25.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.77

$1.28 MYR 5.06

33.59%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.05

$2.19 MYR 8.70

4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 MYR 57.8

$16.56 MYR 65.7

-11.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 18.87

$3.34 MYR 13.26

42.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 37.66

$5.74 MYR 22.75

65.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$1.69 MYR 6.70

75.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.49

$0.97 MYR 3.83

69.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.63

$1.63 MYR 6.48

64.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.12 MYR 4.45

35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.89

$0.52 MYR 2.07

136.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.32

$1.15 MYR 4.56

16.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$0.72 MYR 2.85

61.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.39 MYR 1.56

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$3.95 MYR 15.64

9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 76.5

$19.24 MYR 76.3

0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 MYR 13.05

$2.78 MYR 11.01

18.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$1.94 MYR 7.70

117.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.90

$1.15 MYR 4.56

-36.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 46.87

$15.56 MYR 61.7

-24.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$0.97 MYR 3.86

18.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$0.86 MYR 3.42

27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 MYR 18.99

$2.34 MYR 9.29

104.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.89

$0.51 MYR 2.02

-5.88%

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

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

$41.9K MYR 166.3K

-5.03%

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

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

$37.5K MYR 148.8K

-13.95%

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

$65.0 MYR 258

$57.1 MYR 226

13.81%

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

$11.46 MYR 45.44

$9.31 MYR 36.93

23.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 101

$29.85 MYR 118

-14.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 MYR 186

$64.7 MYR 256

-27.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 MYR 31.13

$5.79 MYR 22.97

35.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.03

$4.18 MYR 16.57

20.81%

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

$268 MYR 1,064

$121 MYR 479

122.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

$6,933 MYR 27.5K

37.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 238

$61.3 MYR 243

-2.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.97 MYR 147

$33.41 MYR 132

10.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 MYR 343

$78.1 MYR 309

10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 MYR 323

$86.8 MYR 344

-6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 MYR 2,224

$209 MYR 830

168.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,465

$153 MYR 606

141.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 MYR 4,189

$465 MYR 1,845

127.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,563

$321 MYR 1,272

101.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

$1,779 MYR 7,054

137.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 MYR 6,044

$1,201 MYR 4,762

26.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 MYR 7,077

$624 MYR 2,474

186.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.5

-0.67%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $561 in Kuala Lumpur and $209 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 186% 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: $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $18.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $223 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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

Kuala Lumpur vs Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Kuala Lumpur. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Kuala Lumpur pays 186% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $561 in Kuala Lumpur versus $209 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,082 per month in Kuala Lumpur versus $784 in Bintulu – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 32% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $784 in Bintulu versus $1,082 in Kuala Lumpur, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Kuala Lumpur. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $784 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kuala Lumpur and Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.