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: $1,073 in Kuala Lumpur versus $782 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,604 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,237 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,134 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,692 in Bintulu.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 37% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Bintulu 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 MYR 18.69

$3.84 MYR 15.72

19.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 MYR 118

$17.40 MYR 71.2

65.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.53

$5.62 MYR 23.00

-15.12%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$2.79 MYR 11.41

7.17%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$0.62 MYR 2.55

37.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$0.36 MYR 1.49

47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.29

$2.91 MYR 11.91

45.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.42

$4.91 MYR 20.09

16.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$1.74 MYR 7.11

14.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$1.31 MYR 5.36

-20.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$1.25 MYR 5.12

34.40%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.93

$2.20 MYR 8.99

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 60.3

$16.43 MYR 67.2

-10.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$3.46 MYR 14.15

32.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 39.03

$5.82 MYR 23.82

63.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$1.68 MYR 6.87

69.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$0.98 MYR 4.01

60.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.81

$1.66 MYR 6.79

59.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.23

$1.06 MYR 4.34

43.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$0.49 MYR 1.99

153.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$1.16 MYR 4.76

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.72 MYR 2.93

68.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.39 MYR 1.61

74.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.84

$3.89 MYR 15.92

12.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 MYR 76.7

$19.91 MYR 81.5

-5.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$2.88 MYR 11.76

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 18.01

$1.87 MYR 7.63

135.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$1.16 MYR 4.75

-39.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.14

$15.91 MYR 65.1

-24.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$0.92 MYR 3.75

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$0.86 MYR 3.53

33.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MYR 19.14

$2.37 MYR 9.71

97.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$0.52 MYR 2.12

-9.62%

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

$40.7K MYR 166.5K

$42.1K MYR 172.4K

-3.42%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.8K

$37.0K MYR 151.1K

-12.15%

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

$64.5 MYR 264

$57.8 MYR 236

11.67%

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

$11.31 MYR 46.27

$9.04 MYR 36.97

25.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.58 MYR 105

$29.17 MYR 119

-12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 MYR 192

$64.1 MYR 262

-26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 MYR 32.26

$5.84 MYR 23.89

35.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.75

$4.18 MYR 17.08

21.29%

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

$272 MYR 1,113

$120 MYR 493

125.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,520 MYR 38.9K

$7,111 MYR 29.1K

33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 249

$62.3 MYR 255

-2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 MYR 153

$34.04 MYR 139

9.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MYR 356

$76.0 MYR 311

14.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$88.2 MYR 361

-10.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,350

$208 MYR 851

176.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MYR 1,486

$151 MYR 616

141.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MYR 4,456

$462 MYR 1,890

135.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,575

$313 MYR 1,279

101.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

$1,751 MYR 7,161

138.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 MYR 6,000

$1,164 MYR 4,762

25.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,521 MYR 6,222

$609 MYR 2,491

149.77%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Kuala Lumpur and $208 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 150% 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: $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $17.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $224 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 37% 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.

Average pay runs 150% higher in Kuala Lumpur, 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: $575 in Kuala Lumpur versus $208 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,073 per month in Kuala Lumpur versus $782 in Bintulu – a 37% 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 $782 in Bintulu versus $1,073 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 $782 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 37% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.