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: $1,047 in Nis versus $853 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,527 in Nis versus $1,321 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,007 in Nis versus $1,788 in Bintulu.

Living in Nis is roughly 23% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nis 24% lower, Bintulu 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.98 RSD 805

$3.99 MYR 16.25

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.63 RSD 3,490

$18.47 MYR 75.2

87.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 RSD 1,018

$6.08 MYR 24.71

66.12%

Cappuccino

$2.02 RSD 204

$2.88 MYR 11.73

-29.86%

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

$2.36 RSD 238

$0.69 MYR 2.82

242.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RSD 188

$0.42 MYR 1.71

345.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 RSD 380

$2.98 MYR 12.13

26.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 RSD 456

$5.07 MYR 20.62

-10.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 RSD 115

$2.11 MYR 8.60

-45.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 RSD 77.2

$1.43 MYR 5.82

-46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 RSD 176

$1.33 MYR 5.41

30.83%

Eggs

$2.36 RSD 238

$2.25 MYR 9.16

4.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 RSD 786

$17.24 MYR 70.1

-54.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 RSD 617

$3.68 MYR 14.99

66.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 RSD 1,116

$5.86 MYR 23.83

88.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 109

$1.77 MYR 7.21

-38.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RSD 175

$0.96 MYR 3.89

81.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RSD 154

$1.70 MYR 6.91

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 RSD 219

$1.16 MYR 4.74

87.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RSD 80.1

$0.51 MYR 2.06

54.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RSD 81.0

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RSD 68.9

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 RSD 58.0

$0.41 MYR 1.68

41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 RSD 453

$4.08 MYR 16.58

10.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.82 RSD 586

$19.46 MYR 79.2

-70.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 RSD 67.7

$2.92 MYR 11.86

-77.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 RSD 129

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-34.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 MYR 5.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.64 MYR 67.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 RSD 195

$0.96 MYR 3.89

101.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RSD 67.1

$0.89 MYR 3.61

-24.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 RSD 873

$2.42 MYR 9.83

257.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RSD 193

$0.57 MYR 2.30

236.84%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

$44.8K MYR 182.3K

-30.72%

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

$25.3K RSD 2.6M

$39.9K MYR 162.2K

-36.46%

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

$163 RSD 16.4K

$60.2 MYR 245

169.92%

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

$20.70 RSD 2,086

$32.61 MYR 133

-36.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.26 RSD 2,345

$30.84 MYR 125

-24.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.13 RSD 3,138

$69.6 MYR 283

-55.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.13 RSD 1,626

$12.52 MYR 50.9

28.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 RSD 496

$4.35 MYR 17.68

13.33%

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

$259 RSD 26.1K

$128 MYR 521

102.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,157 RSD 519.8K

$7,430 MYR 30.2K

-30.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 RSD 9,332

$64.2 MYR 261

44.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.61 RSD 3,992

$36.12 MYR 147

9.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 RSD 10.5K

$79.5 MYR 323

30.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 RSD 11.4K

$94.0 MYR 383

20.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 RSD 40.9K

$224 MYR 910

81.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RSD 29.4K

$158 MYR 644

84.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 RSD 61.7K

$480 MYR 1,952

27.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 RSD 42.1K

$344 MYR 1,400

21.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,587 RSD 260.7K

$1,773 MYR 7,212

45.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,897 RSD 191.2K

$1,154 MYR 4,694

64.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 RSD 93.5K

$609 MYR 2,478

52.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.11

4.5

13.56%

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

Last update for Nis: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $406 in Nis and $224 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 52% 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: $35.00 in Nis vs $18.00 in Bintulu. Groceries flip the comparison at $187 vs $234, 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 23% 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.

Average pay runs 52% higher in Nis, 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 $224 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $259 in Nis versus $128 in Bintulu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bintulu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $35.00 in Nis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $853 in Bintulu versus $1,047 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 23% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.