Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Cotonou Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Cotonou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,029 in Selangor versus $927 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,494 in Selangor versus $1,463 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Selangor versus $1,999 in Cotonou.

Living in Selangor is roughly 11% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Selangor 25% lower, Cotonou 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 MYR 17.76

$5.19 F CFA 2,936

-15.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 MYR 81.8

$37.09 F CFA 21.0K

-45.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$9.81 F CFA 5,551

-58.61%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 9.06

$5.40 F CFA 3,055

-58.52%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.09 F CFA 615

-22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.89 F CFA 505

-51.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MYR 18.19

$0.87 F CFA 493

417.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MYR 20.09

$2.61 F CFA 1,478

90.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.62

$3.17 F CFA 1,794

-40.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.27 F CFA 720

-12.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.02

$1.98 F CFA 1,123

-24.75%

Eggs

$2.01 MYR 8.14

$2.75 F CFA 1,555

-26.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.12 MYR 65.2

$9.64 F CFA 5,456

67.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.79

$5.62 F CFA 3,179

-12.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.10

$5.36 F CFA 3,032

85.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$4.29 F CFA 2,428

-21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$1.90 F CFA 1,076

-3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.51

$1.35 F CFA 762

74.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$2.79 F CFA 1,580

-40.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$1.37 F CFA 774

-2.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$1.82 F CFA 1,027

-42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$0.46 F CFA 260

154.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.36

$1.13 F CFA 642

-48.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.46

$3.63 F CFA 2,055

25.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.2

$4.41 F CFA 2,493

332.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.69

$1.27 F CFA 720

166.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.49

$2.00 F CFA 1,133

153.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$1.37 F CFA 774

-8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.45 F CFA 820

-15.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.45 F CFA 818

-13.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$1.24 F CFA 700

-44.35%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

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

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

$24.8K F CFA 14.0M

43.24%

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

$65.6 MYR 265

$154 F CFA 87.0K

-57.38%

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

$9.42 MYR 38.10

$35.83 F CFA 20.3K

-73.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.41 MYR 107

$49.43 F CFA 28.0K

-46.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 MYR 164

$51.1 F CFA 28.9K

-20.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.68

$3.52 F CFA 1,989

101.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MYR 21.96

$8.66 F CFA 4,900

-37.30%

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

$123 MYR 499

$134 F CFA 76.1K

-8.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

$5,798 F CFA 3.3M

27.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MYR 288

$26.76 F CFA 15.1K

166.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 MYR 319

$35.52 F CFA 20.1K

122.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MYR 333

$71.5 F CFA 40.4K

15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MYR 2,057

$187 F CFA 105.5K

172.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,405

$175 F CFA 99.0K

98.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MYR 3,685

$616 F CFA 348.3K

48.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,977

$430 F CFA 243.2K

13.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,285

$263 F CFA 148.9K

302.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

-1.00%

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

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $509 in Selangor and $187 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 303% 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: $20.00 in Selangor vs $37.00 in Cotonou. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $231, with Cotonou 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

Selangor vs Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 303% higher in Selangor, 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: $509 in Selangor versus $187 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Selangor. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,029 per month in Selangor versus $927 in Cotonou – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $927 in Cotonou versus $1,029 in Selangor, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Selangor. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou 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, Selangor and Cotonou 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 Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.