Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Bintulu

For one person, living is cheaper in Bintulu: $847 a month against $1,086 in Kuala Lumpur, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

53

Cost of Living Index in Kuala Lumpur
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Kuala Lumpur Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Bintulu
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Bintulu Living Index

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Kuala Lumpur

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,086

/mo nomad

Bintulu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$847

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kuala Lumpur and in Bintulu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kuala Lumpur and in Bintulu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,086 in Kuala Lumpur versus $847 in Bintulu.

Kuala Lumpur $1,086
Bintulu $847

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,320 in Bintulu.

Kuala Lumpur $1,663
Bintulu $1,320

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,239 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,793 in Bintulu.

Kuala Lumpur $2,239
Bintulu $1,793

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 28% more expensive than in Bintulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 MYR 19.40

$3.81 MYR 15.53

24.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.15 MYR 119

$18.38 MYR 75.0

58.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.50

$5.80 MYR 23.67

-17.59%

Cappuccino

$3.08 MYR 12.57

$2.86 MYR 11.67

7.69%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$0.64 MYR 2.62

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.93

$0.41 MYR 1.65

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.49 MYR 18.31

$2.96 MYR 12.08

51.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 24.35

$5.21 MYR 21.26

14.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 MYR 8.31

$2.08 MYR 8.48

-1.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$1.35 MYR 5.52

-17.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 8.22

$1.36 MYR 5.56

48.53%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.15

$2.29 MYR 9.33

8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 MYR 57.9

$17.15 MYR 70.0

-17.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.11

$3.49 MYR 14.25

27.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.19

$5.89 MYR 24.01

67.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$1.67 MYR 6.83

109.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

$0.96 MYR 3.93

89.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 MYR 9.36

$1.67 MYR 6.80

37.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.53

$1.11 MYR 4.53

44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.44

$0.56 MYR 2.27

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.53

$1.19 MYR 4.87

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$0.71 MYR 2.89

66.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.72

$0.42 MYR 1.70

59.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.46

$4.28 MYR 17.45

5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.6

$19.32 MYR 78.8

2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.43

$3.00 MYR 12.25

18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.12

$2.01 MYR 8.20

145.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.87

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.45 MYR 50.8

$16.40 MYR 66.9

-24.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 5.04

$0.93 MYR 3.80

32.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MYR 4.84

$0.82 MYR 3.36

45.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 MYR 19.90

$2.48 MYR 10.11

96.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.59

$0.62 MYR 2.51

41.94%

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

$41.8K MYR 170.4K

$44.4K MYR 181.3K

-5.98%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.4K

$39.9K MYR 162.7K

-12.50%

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

$61.2 MYR 250

$59.5 MYR 243

2.74%

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

$8.63 MYR 35.22

$32.31 MYR 132

-73.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.31 MYR 107

$30.15 MYR 123

-12.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.33 MYR 201

$68.3 MYR 279

-27.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.47 MYR 30.46

$12.33 MYR 50.3

-39.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.17

$4.35 MYR 17.74

13.79%

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

$302 MYR 1,234

$128 MYR 524

135.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MYR 54.4K

$7,275 MYR 29.7K

83.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 MYR 292

$64.5 MYR 263

10.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.57 MYR 170

$34.91 MYR 142

19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 MYR 345

$78.8 MYR 322

7.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 MYR 397

$92.3 MYR 376

5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 MYR 2,490

$216 MYR 882

182.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,513

$157 MYR 639

136.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 MYR 4,646

$475 MYR 1,939

139.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 MYR 2,696

$332 MYR 1,356

98.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,114 MYR 16.8K

$1,716 MYR 7,000

139.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,500 MYR 6,120

$1,135 MYR 4,632

32.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,494 MYR 6,093

$606 MYR 2,473

146.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.18

4.5

-7.11%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kuala Lumpur

$371 34.1%

Bintulu

$157 18.5% 57.7% $214

Groceries & Markets

Kuala Lumpur

$276 25.4%

Bintulu

$231 27.3% 16.1% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Kuala Lumpur

$133 12.2%

Bintulu

$122 14.4% 8.3% $11

Eating Out

Kuala Lumpur

$129 11.9%

Bintulu

$112 13.2% 13.5% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kuala Lumpur

$96 8.9%

Bintulu

$122 14.4% 26.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Kuala Lumpur

$59 5.5%

Bintulu

$77 9.1% 30% $18

Getting Around

Kuala Lumpur

$22 2.1%

Bintulu

$26 3.1% 17.9% $4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $610 in Kuala Lumpur and $216 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 146% 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 $18.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $231 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur

🇲🇾 Bintulu

🕒 Local time

11:25 11:25 AM

Same time as Kuala Lumpur

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,982,112 Capital

240,172

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kuala Lumpur Bintulu 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Kuala Lumpur
Bintulu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 28% 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 146% 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: $610 in Kuala Lumpur versus $216 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,086 per month in Kuala Lumpur versus $847 in Bintulu – a 28% 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 $847 in Bintulu versus $1,086 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 $847 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 28% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.