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: $1,008 in Selangor versus $969 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,449 in Selangor versus $1,397 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,890 in Selangor versus $1,825 in Cotonou.

Living in Selangor is roughly 4% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Selangor 25% lower, Cotonou 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$3.62 F CFA 2,043

-29.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 MYR 91.7

$26.79 F CFA 15.1K

-13.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 MYR 14.84

$5.22 F CFA 2,947

-28.35%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 8.83

$5.45 F CFA 3,074

-59.08%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.06

$0.86 F CFA 487

-10.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.77 F CFA 431

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 MYR 16.62

$1.40 F CFA 789

199.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 MYR 21.15

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

54.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.26

$2.54 F CFA 1,434

-27.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.38 F CFA 776

-26.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.74

$1.86 F CFA 1,047

-22.04%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.24

$2.15 F CFA 1,210

-14.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 MYR 57.2

$9.35 F CFA 5,272

54.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.46

$4.89 F CFA 2,755

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 38.98

$4.89 F CFA 2,755

101.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.37

$4.04 F CFA 2,277

-28.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.52

$1.37 F CFA 774

19.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$1.22 F CFA 689

120.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.98

$1.74 F CFA 984

-13.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.03

$1.34 F CFA 757

-5.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 3.93

$1.48 F CFA 836

-33.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.28

$0.52 F CFA 293

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.15

$1.23 F CFA 692

-56.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.12

$2.23 F CFA 1,256

93.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 77.5

$4.55 F CFA 2,569

329.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.35

$1.24 F CFA 698

171.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.88

$2.18 F CFA 1,228

95.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$1.81 F CFA 1,019

-59.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 46.04

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$1.39 F CFA 782

-12.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$1.26 F CFA 708

-12.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 MYR 17.39

$1.71 F CFA 963

156.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$1.11 F CFA 625

-58.56%

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

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

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

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

$24.9K F CFA 14.0M

28.35%

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

$65.4 MYR 259

$266 F CFA 149.8K

-75.38%

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

$9.48 MYR 37.59

$43.76 F CFA 24.7K

-78.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.69 MYR 102

$56.8 F CFA 32.0K

-54.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 MYR 153

$59.6 F CFA 33.6K

-35.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.29 MYR 28.90

$5.31 F CFA 2,993

37.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 MYR 20.62

$7.72 F CFA 4,355

-32.64%

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

$117 MYR 462

$185 F CFA 104.2K

-36.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

$6,351 F CFA 3.6M

-30.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 237

$17.52 F CFA 9,878

241.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 MYR 147

$8.80 F CFA 4,964

320.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MYR 298

$8.78 F CFA 4,952

754.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MYR 313

$48.06 F CFA 27.1K

64.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 MYR 1,749

$201 F CFA 113.4K

119.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,379

$150 F CFA 84.8K

131.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 MYR 3,365

$591 F CFA 333.4K

43.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,871

$288 F CFA 162.3K

63.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,659 MYR 6,577

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 MYR 2,878

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 MYR 3,980

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Selangor and $201 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Selangor vs $27.00 in Cotonou. Groceries flip the comparison at $261 vs $208, 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,511 in Selangor and $1,454 in Cotonou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $441 in Selangor versus $201 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Selangor. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,008 per month in Selangor versus $969 in Cotonou – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $969 in Cotonou versus $1,008 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 4% less than in Selangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.