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: $1,038 in Nis versus $793 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Nis versus $1,240 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Nis versus $1,687 in Bintulu.

Living in Nis is roughly 31% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nis 22% lower, Bintulu 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 RSD 769

$3.82 MYR 15.59

96.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.32 RSD 3,008

$17.65 MYR 72.1

66.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 RSD 1,008

$5.80 MYR 23.69

69.48%

Cappuccino

$2.01 RSD 206

$2.87 MYR 11.74

-29.97%

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

$1.89 RSD 194

$0.66 MYR 2.69

186.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 RSD 125

$0.39 MYR 1.59

210.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 RSD 247

$2.79 MYR 11.38

-13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 RSD 305

$5.02 MYR 20.49

-40.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 RSD 133

$1.81 MYR 7.39

-28.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 RSD 77.0

$1.38 MYR 5.63

-45.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RSD 182

$1.33 MYR 5.42

33.08%

Eggs

$2.49 RSD 255

$2.20 MYR 8.97

13.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 RSD 812

$16.21 MYR 66.2

-51.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 RSD 718

$3.45 MYR 14.11

102.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 RSD 1,206

$5.50 MYR 22.46

113.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RSD 121

$1.64 MYR 6.69

-28.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 RSD 183

$0.93 MYR 3.79

91.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RSD 147

$1.62 MYR 6.62

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 RSD 186

$1.06 MYR 4.34

71.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 110

$0.49 MYR 2.01

120.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 RSD 116

$1.19 MYR 4.87

-5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 RSD 57.2

$0.72 MYR 2.94

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 RSD 59.0

$0.39 MYR 1.61

48.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 RSD 415

$3.96 MYR 16.17

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 RSD 595

$19.22 MYR 78.5

-69.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RSD 70.9

$2.84 MYR 11.61

-75.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RSD 208

$1.84 MYR 7.50

10.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RSD 77.4

$1.15 MYR 4.68

-34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.35 RSD 2,703

$15.72 MYR 64.2

67.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 RSD 149

$0.91 MYR 3.72

59.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 RSD 46.43

$0.91 MYR 3.72

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 RSD 714

$2.40 MYR 9.82

190.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 RSD 184

$0.51 MYR 2.09

250.98%

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

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

$41.9K MYR 171.1K

-26.85%

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

$27.0K RSD 2.8M

$37.8K MYR 154.4K

-28.48%

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

$140 RSD 14.4K

$58.0 MYR 237

141.28%

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

$17.21 RSD 1,766

$9.07 MYR 37.04

89.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.27 RSD 2,285

$29.89 MYR 122

-25.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.62 RSD 2,936

$64.8 MYR 264

-55.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.81 RSD 1,930

$5.75 MYR 23.49

227.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 RSD 514

$4.18 MYR 17.08

19.86%

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

$234 RSD 24.1K

$124 MYR 506

89.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,161 RSD 529.5K

$6,948 MYR 28.4K

-25.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 RSD 9,108

$61.7 MYR 252

43.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.31 RSD 4,854

$33.44 MYR 137

41.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 RSD 9,708

$76.0 MYR 310

24.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 RSD 10.7K

$86.7 MYR 354

19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 RSD 41.9K

$215 MYR 879

89.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 RSD 28.9K

$149 MYR 609

89.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 RSD 58.8K

$467 MYR 1,906

22.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 RSD 42.4K

$317 MYR 1,296

30.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,604 RSD 267.2K

$1,765 MYR 7,209

47.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,847 RSD 189.5K

$1,143 MYR 4,667

61.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$896 RSD 91.9K

$599 MYR 2,446

49.55%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Nis and $215 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 50% 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 Nis vs $18.00 in Bintulu. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 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 31% 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 50% 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: $408 in Nis versus $215 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,038 per month in Nis versus $793 in Bintulu – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 68% less than in Nis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $793 in Bintulu versus $1,038 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 31% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.