Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $989 in Kyiv versus $954 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Kyiv versus $1,384 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,012 in Kyiv versus $1,813 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Kyiv is roughly 4% more expensive than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kyiv 26% lower, Johor Bahru 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 ₴388

$3.63 MYR 14.92

138.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.81 ₴1,381

$18.70 MYR 77.0

64.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 ₴273

$4.62 MYR 19.02

31.60%

Cappuccino

$1.55 ₴69.6

$2.99 MYR 12.31

-48.16%

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

$0.67 ₴30.08

$0.80 MYR 3.31

-16.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₴20.45

$0.49 MYR 2.02

-6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₴47.53

$3.50 MYR 14.40

-69.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₴84.8

$6.63 MYR 27.30

-71.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₴56.5

$1.86 MYR 7.66

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ₴36.82

$1.00 MYR 4.12

-18.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₴82.6

$1.30 MYR 5.36

41.54%

Eggs

$1.99 ₴89.0

$1.89 MYR 7.77

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 ₴451

$10.72 MYR 44.10

-6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 ₴195

$3.56 MYR 14.64

22.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 ₴345

$8.06 MYR 33.15

-4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 ₴46.07

$2.78 MYR 11.43

-62.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₴72.1

$1.45 MYR 5.98

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ₴79.5

$2.56 MYR 10.53

-30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₴101

$1.22 MYR 5.01

84.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ₴39.27

$1.15 MYR 4.71

-23.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₴26.61

$1.33 MYR 5.46

-55.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ₴64.1

$0.94 MYR 3.88

52.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₴25.69

$0.55 MYR 2.28

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₴131

$4.35 MYR 17.89

-33.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.54 ₴248

$14.43 MYR 59.4

-61.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₴40.55

$2.65 MYR 10.92

-66.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₴69.6

$3.02 MYR 12.45

-48.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₴7.90

$0.69 MYR 2.84

-73.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.43 ₴423

$11.59 MYR 47.71

-18.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₴94.4

$1.02 MYR 4.20

106.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₴15.51

$1.03 MYR 4.23

-66.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 ₴198

$9.50 MYR 39.10

-53.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₴63.3

$0.50 MYR 2.07

182.00%

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

$30.7K ₴1.4M

$35.9K MYR 147.7K

-14.52%

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

$24.7K ₴1.1M

$27.8K MYR 114.5K

-11.28%

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

$111 ₴4,975

$41.78 MYR 172

165.77%

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

$5.78 ₴259

$9.07 MYR 37.31

-36.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.83 ₴306

$31.16 MYR 128

-78.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.04 ₴1,660

$35.11 MYR 144

5.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.18 ₴725

$5.93 MYR 24.40

172.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 ₴222

$4.87 MYR 20.05

1.85%

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

$385 ₴17.2K

$189 MYR 777

103.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,619 ₴341.4K

$6,837 MYR 28.1K

11.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 ₴3,097

$49.34 MYR 203

40.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.19 ₴1,577

$19.13 MYR 78.7

83.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₴4,636

$53.8 MYR 221

92.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₴5,101

$39.40 MYR 162

188.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 ₴26.5K

$460 MYR 1,892

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₴15.6K

$407 MYR 1,676

-14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 ₴57.6K

$819 MYR 3,370

56.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₴28.0K

$599 MYR 2,463

4.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,622 ₴117.5K

$2,021 MYR 8,316

29.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 ₴51.2K

$1,158 MYR 4,767

-1.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 ₴33.9K

$1,096 MYR 4,512

-30.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.34

4.07

375.18%

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

Last update for Kyiv: June 14, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $592 in Kyiv and $460 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Kyiv vs $19.00 in Johor Bahru. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $219, with Kyiv 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

Kyiv vs Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kyiv and Johor Bahru differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($989 vs $954 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Johor Bahru. 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: $592 in Kyiv versus $460 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $31.00 in Kyiv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $989 per month in Kyiv versus $954 in Johor Bahru – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Johor Bahru versus $989 in Kyiv, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Kyiv. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kyiv and Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Kyiv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.