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: $999 in Selangor versus $979 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,432 in Selangor versus $1,399 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,865 in Selangor versus $1,819 in Cotonou.

Living in Selangor is roughly 2% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Selangor 25% lower, Cotonou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$3.55 F CFA 2,035

-28.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.88 MYR 97.7

$26.07 F CFA 14.9K

-8.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.73 MYR 15.27

$5.15 F CFA 2,951

-27.57%

Cappuccino

$2.30 MYR 9.41

$5.66 F CFA 3,241

-59.36%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.17

$0.89 F CFA 512

-13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.72 F CFA 415

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.28

$1.45 F CFA 832

191.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 MYR 22.02

$3.46 F CFA 1,982

55.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.39

$2.64 F CFA 1,511

-31.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.15

$1.42 F CFA 816

-28.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.12

$1.90 F CFA 1,090

-21.05%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.70

$2.23 F CFA 1,279

-15.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 MYR 58.8

$9.47 F CFA 5,424

51.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$5.08 F CFA 2,909

-7.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.88 MYR 40.43

$5.13 F CFA 2,939

92.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$4.02 F CFA 2,305

-25.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.40

$1.43 F CFA 818

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 11.19

$1.21 F CFA 691

125.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.94

$1.83 F CFA 1,047

-20.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.22

$1.38 F CFA 792

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.12

$1.50 F CFA 859

-32.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.63

$0.52 F CFA 298

117.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.10

$1.23 F CFA 707

-58.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.72

$2.25 F CFA 1,289

92.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.24 MYR 78.7

$4.45 F CFA 2,552

332.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.69

$1.19 F CFA 681

181.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$2.20 F CFA 1,261

93.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$1.80 F CFA 1,033

-62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 MYR 48.49

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.40 F CFA 800

-17.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.51

$1.29 F CFA 739

-14.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MYR 17.78

$1.81 F CFA 1,035

140.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.06 F CFA 605

-52.83%

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

$40.5K MYR 165.6K

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

$30.8K MYR 126.0K

$24.6K F CFA 14.1M

25.33%

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

$64.9 MYR 266

$261 F CFA 149.3K

-75.10%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.90

$43.57 F CFA 25.0K

-77.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.88 MYR 106

$55.3 F CFA 31.7K

-53.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.38 MYR 157

$59.0 F CFA 33.8K

-34.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 MYR 29.75

$5.38 F CFA 3,081

35.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 MYR 21.14

$7.31 F CFA 4,187

-29.27%

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

$116 MYR 476

$189 F CFA 108.0K

-38.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,342 MYR 17.8K

$6,492 F CFA 3.7M

-33.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 249

$17.45 F CFA 9,998

248.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 MYR 151

$8.63 F CFA 4,944

326.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 MYR 307

$8.85 F CFA 5,072

746.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 MYR 322

$48.14 F CFA 27.6K

63.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 MYR 1,839

$206 F CFA 117.9K

118.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 MYR 1,438

$146 F CFA 83.6K

140.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 MYR 3,415

$574 F CFA 328.6K

45.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,931

$283 F CFA 161.9K

66.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,583 MYR 6,477

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 MYR 2,893

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MYR 4,286

$173 F CFA 99.2K

504.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

-20.80%

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

Last update for Selangor: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Selangor and $206 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 505% 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: $24.00 in Selangor vs $26.00 in Cotonou. Groceries flip the comparison at $261 vs $212, 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 505% 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: $449 in Selangor versus $206 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Selangor. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $999 per month in Selangor versus $979 in Cotonou – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $979 in Cotonou versus $999 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 2% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.