Cost of Living Comparison Between Szekesfehervar and Kota Kinabalu Cost of Living Comparison Between Szekesfehervar and Kota Kinabalu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Szekesfehervar versus $840 in Kota Kinabalu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,633 in Szekesfehervar versus $1,352 in Kota Kinabalu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,253 in Szekesfehervar versus $1,865 in Kota Kinabalu.

Living in Szekesfehervar is roughly 21% more expensive than Kota Kinabalu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Szekesfehervar 24% lower, Kota Kinabalu 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 Ft 3,398

$3.50 MYR 13.98

216.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 Ft 17.9K

$19.05 MYR 76.0

206.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 Ft 2,763

$4.67 MYR 18.65

93.15%

Cappuccino

$1.91 Ft 584

$2.60 MYR 10.38

-26.54%

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

$1.28 Ft 392

$0.69 MYR 2.74

85.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 Ft 269

$0.37 MYR 1.47

137.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 Ft 581

$2.38 MYR 9.51

-20.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 Ft 771

$3.51 MYR 14.00

-28.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Ft 344

$1.68 MYR 6.70

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 Ft 525

$1.24 MYR 4.94

37.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 Ft 643

$1.70 MYR 6.77

23.53%

Eggs

$2.68 Ft 820

$2.89 MYR 11.55

-7.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 Ft 2,379

$25.74 MYR 103

-69.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 Ft 1,862

$3.44 MYR 13.73

76.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.87 Ft 4,557

$7.43 MYR 29.63

100.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 560

$2.56 MYR 10.22

-28.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 Ft 542

$1.16 MYR 4.65

52.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Ft 574

$3.14 MYR 12.54

-40.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.83 Ft 867

$1.91 MYR 7.63

48.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 Ft 324

$1.52 MYR 6.06

-30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 363

$1.71 MYR 6.83

-30.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 Ft 425

$1.13 MYR 4.52

23.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Ft 135

$0.47 MYR 1.89

-6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 Ft 1,937

$4.23 MYR 16.89

49.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.25 Ft 995

$16.30 MYR 65.0

-80.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 Ft 304

$1.85 MYR 7.40

-46.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 Ft 435

$1.61 MYR 6.41

-11.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 Ft 361

$1.51 MYR 6.04

-21.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.71 Ft 7,572

$41.03 MYR 164

-39.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 Ft 857

$1.90 MYR 7.59

47.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 Ft 350

$0.46 MYR 1.85

147.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.44 Ft 5,343

$5.75 MYR 22.95

203.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 Ft 527

$0.46 MYR 1.83

273.91%

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

$25.4K Ft 7.8M

$29.6K MYR 118.0K

-14.16%

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

$25.2K Ft 7.7M

$27.1K MYR 108.3K

-7.27%

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

$106 Ft 32.4K

$51.6 MYR 206

104.63%

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

$25.07 Ft 7,680

$9.22 MYR 36.78

171.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 Ft 5,689

$32.25 MYR 129

-42.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.98 Ft 14.1K

$43.54 MYR 174

5.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 Ft 5,105

$2.99 MYR 11.95

457.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 Ft 1,979

$4.73 MYR 18.88

36.58%

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

$220 Ft 67.4K

$132 MYR 526

66.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,228 Ft 1.9M

$4,506 MYR 18.0K

38.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 Ft 19.7K

$60.6 MYR 242

6.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.72 Ft 6,963

$22.99 MYR 91.7

-1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 Ft 22.2K

$71.4 MYR 285

1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 Ft 24.5K

$94.5 MYR 377

-15.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 Ft 112.6K

$372 MYR 1,482

-1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 Ft 87.3K

$168 MYR 671

69.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 Ft 180.4K

$641 MYR 2,556

-8.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 Ft 158.3K

$368 MYR 1,470

40.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,639 Ft 1.1M

$1,889 MYR 7,539

92.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,257 Ft 998.0K

$1,133 MYR 4,521

187.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,609 Ft 493.1K

$598 MYR 2,385

169.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

3.8

53.95%

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

Last update for Szekesfehervar: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $367 in Szekesfehervar and $372 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Szekesfehervar pays 169% 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: $58.0 in Szekesfehervar vs $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $269, with Szekesfehervar 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

Szekesfehervar vs Kota Kinabalu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Szekesfehervar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Kinabalu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Szekesfehervar pays 169% more on average, 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: $367 in Szekesfehervar versus $372 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 66% less than in Szekesfehervar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $220 in Szekesfehervar versus $132 in Kota Kinabalu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,012 in Szekesfehervar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Szekesfehervar. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Kinabalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $840 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kota Kinabalu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Szekesfehervar and Kota Kinabalu 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 Kota Kinabalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Szekesfehervar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.