Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Bintulu Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Bintulu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,025 in Nis versus $798 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Nis versus $1,224 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,975 in Nis versus $1,650 in Bintulu.

Living in Nis is roughly 29% more expensive than Bintulu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nis 24% lower, Bintulu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 RSD 733

$3.80 MYR 15.00

92.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.40 RSD 2,938

$17.58 MYR 69.4

67.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 RSD 1,011

$5.76 MYR 22.73

75.52%

Cappuccino

$1.93 RSD 192

$2.80 MYR 11.08

-31.07%

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

$1.89 RSD 188

$0.66 MYR 2.62

186.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 RSD 128

$0.40 MYR 1.56

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 RSD 240

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-16.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 RSD 303

$4.89 MYR 19.33

-38.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 RSD 128

$1.72 MYR 6.79

-25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 RSD 71.0

$1.36 MYR 5.37

-47.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RSD 177

$1.25 MYR 4.95

41.60%

Eggs

$2.52 RSD 252

$2.20 MYR 8.68

14.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 RSD 790

$16.34 MYR 64.5

-51.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 RSD 699

$3.36 MYR 13.26

108.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.71 RSD 1,171

$5.70 MYR 22.51

105.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RSD 118

$1.67 MYR 6.61

-29.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 179

$0.96 MYR 3.79

86.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RSD 151

$1.64 MYR 6.46

-7.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 RSD 182

$1.10 MYR 4.36

65.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 103

$0.49 MYR 1.95

110.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RSD 112

$1.16 MYR 4.59

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 RSD 59.8

$0.69 MYR 2.71

-13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 RSD 56.4

$0.42 MYR 1.67

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 RSD 419

$4.13 MYR 16.31

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 RSD 708

$19.15 MYR 75.6

-63.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 RSD 74.8

$2.90 MYR 11.46

-74.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RSD 203

$1.87 MYR 7.37

8.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 RSD 82.4

$1.16 MYR 4.57

-29.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.31 RSD 2,630

$15.45 MYR 61.0

70.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 RSD 150

$0.97 MYR 3.84

54.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 RSD 41.88

$0.88 MYR 3.48

-52.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 RSD 686

$2.35 MYR 9.28

191.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 RSD 175

$0.52 MYR 2.05

236.54%

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

$30.5K RSD 3.0M

$42.9K MYR 169.4K

-29.00%

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

$26.7K RSD 2.7M

$38.3K MYR 151.2K

-30.15%

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

$139 RSD 13.9K

$57.3 MYR 226

142.92%

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

$16.65 RSD 1,664

$9.20 MYR 36.35

80.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.15 RSD 2,214

$29.24 MYR 115

-24.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.03 RSD 2,901

$65.1 MYR 257

-55.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 RSD 1,936

$6.01 MYR 23.73

222.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 RSD 483

$4.11 MYR 16.25

17.52%

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

$237 RSD 23.7K

$121 MYR 479

95.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,017 RSD 501.4K

$6,941 MYR 27.4K

-27.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.9 RSD 9,081

$63.7 MYR 251

42.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.41 RSD 4,639

$34.25 MYR 135

35.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 RSD 9,420

$75.3 MYR 298

25.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 RSD 10.3K

$87.8 MYR 347

17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 RSD 40.6K

$208 MYR 822

95.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 RSD 28.7K

$153 MYR 604

88.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 RSD 56.9K

$452 MYR 1,786

25.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 RSD 41.3K

$319 MYR 1,258

29.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 RSD 259.8K

$1,793 MYR 7,081

45.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,881 RSD 188.0K

$1,187 MYR 4,688

58.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 RSD 87.6K

$620 MYR 2,449

41.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

4.5

65.56%

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

Last update for Nis: April 22, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $406 in Nis and $208 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 41% 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 in Nis vs $18 in Bintulu. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $222, with Nis 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

Nis vs Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Nis. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Nis pays 41% 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: $406 in Nis versus $208 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,025 per month in Nis versus $798 in Bintulu – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 70% less than in Nis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Bintulu versus $1,025 in Nis, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Nis. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu 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, Nis 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 29% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.