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: $1,096 in Kuala Lumpur versus $865 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,700 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,330 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,303 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,795 in Bintulu.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 27% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Bintulu 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 MYR 19.72

$3.87 MYR 15.66

26.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 MYR 122

$18.80 MYR 76.0

60.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.57

$6.07 MYR 24.54

-20.26%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MYR 13.00

$2.89 MYR 11.68

11.42%

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

$0.87 MYR 3.50

$0.69 MYR 2.81

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$0.42 MYR 1.68

19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.63

$2.93 MYR 11.86

48.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 MYR 24.38

$5.18 MYR 20.94

16.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 MYR 8.57

$2.10 MYR 8.48

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.35

$1.36 MYR 5.50

-20.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.54

$1.34 MYR 5.41

57.46%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.05

$2.27 MYR 9.17

9.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.3

$17.16 MYR 69.4

-8.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.03

$3.54 MYR 14.33

39.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MYR 40.04

$5.84 MYR 23.61

69.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.57

$1.77 MYR 7.17

89.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.57

$1.02 MYR 4.14

83.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.66

$1.70 MYR 6.88

40.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.71

$1.13 MYR 4.57

46.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.60

$0.51 MYR 2.07

172.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.21 MYR 4.90

14.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.77

$0.75 MYR 3.03

57.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MYR 2.89

$0.41 MYR 1.66

75.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MYR 17.75

$4.28 MYR 17.31

2.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.40 MYR 78.4

$19.63 MYR 79.4

-1.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.37

$3.08 MYR 12.46

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 MYR 20.44

$2.04 MYR 8.23

148.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$1.21 MYR 4.88

-36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 49.90

$16.56 MYR 67.0

-25.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.94

$0.95 MYR 3.85

28.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.09

$0.90 MYR 3.63

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 MYR 20.35

$2.55 MYR 10.32

97.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$0.59 MYR 2.39

32.20%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.5K

$44.9K MYR 181.4K

-6.58%

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

$34.7K MYR 140.3K

$40.2K MYR 162.6K

-13.74%

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

$63.5 MYR 257

$61.2 MYR 247

3.82%

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

$9.29 MYR 37.57

$32.46 MYR 131

-71.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.35 MYR 107

$31.07 MYR 126

-15.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.81 MYR 197

$68.4 MYR 276

-28.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 MYR 31.23

$12.18 MYR 49.23

-36.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 MYR 22.17

$4.54 MYR 18.35

20.70%

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

$302 MYR 1,222

$126 MYR 508

140.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K MYR 51.1K

$7,322 MYR 29.6K

72.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 MYR 296

$66.3 MYR 268

10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.36 MYR 171

$35.73 MYR 144

18.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 MYR 364

$79.3 MYR 321

13.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MYR 407

$94.0 MYR 380

7.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 MYR 2,431

$226 MYR 914

166.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,487

$158 MYR 637

133.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MYR 4,994

$476 MYR 1,926

159.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,549

$347 MYR 1,402

81.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 MYR 16.6K

$1,726 MYR 6,980

137.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,546 MYR 6,249

$1,183 MYR 4,782

30.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 MYR 6,366

$606 MYR 2,450

159.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.5

-6.67%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $601 in Kuala Lumpur and $226 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 160% 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: $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $19.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $234 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 27% 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 160% 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: $601 in Kuala Lumpur versus $226 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,096 per month in Kuala Lumpur versus $865 in Bintulu – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 34% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $865 in Bintulu versus $1,096 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 $865 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 27% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.