Cost of living
Kota Kinabalu compared to George Town (Malaysia)
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Overview comparison
Kota KinabaluGeorge Town (Malaysia)
Consumer prices in Kota Kinabalu are roughly 2% higher than in George Town (Malaysia).
Cost of living
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | George Town (Malaysia) |
|---|
| Total with rent one person | 608 | 635 |
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| Total with rent family | 1,670 | 1,507 |
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| Without rent one person | 342 | 358 |
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| Without rent one family | 1,213 | 919 |
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| Rent & Utilities person | 268.74 | 284.1 |
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| Rent & Utilities family | 493.03 | 628.77 |
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| Food person | 249 | 290 |
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| Food family | 758 | 727 |
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| Transport person | 60.99 | 31.03 |
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| Transport family | 147.25 | 57.07 |
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| Life expectancy | 82.04 years | 79.66 years |
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Eating Out
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | George Town (Malaysia) |
|---|
| Lunch Menu | 3.45 | 2.55 |
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| Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2 | 15.87 | 23.85 |
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| Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's | 4.88 | 3.9 |
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| Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz | 3.35 | 4.42 |
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| Cappuccino | 2.54 | 2.83 |
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| Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz | 0.68 | 0.75 |
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Rent & Utilities
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | George Town (Malaysia) |
|---|
| 1 bedroom apartment in city Center, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | 316.24 | 303.27 |
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| Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | 179.24 | 214.83 |
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| 3 bedroom apartment in city Center, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | 590.9 | 596.27 |
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| Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | 229.56 | 522.24 |
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| Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc. | 30.97 | 21.21 |
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| Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc. | 53.32 | 31.35 |
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| Internet plan, 25 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited | 27.64 | 34.67 |
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Transportation
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | George Town (Malaysia) |
|---|
| Local transport ticket | 3.09 | 3.88 |
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| Monthly ticket local transport | 1,394 | 1,141 |
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| Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi | 971 | 940 |
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| Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal | 1.47 | 0.58 |
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| Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years | 23.12% | 9.34% |
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| Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | 8.9 | 2.72 |
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| House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | 0.52 | 0.53 |
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Groceries
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | George Town (Malaysia) |
|---|
| Milk, 1 L or 1 qt | 2.05 | 1.73 |
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| Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb | 0.9 | 0.81 |
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| Eggs, x12 | 2.57 | 1.77 |
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| Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 12.17 | 17 |
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| Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 4.58 | 4.66 |
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| Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 7.04 | 12.94 |
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| Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 1.19 | 1.24 |
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| Water, 1 L or 1 qt | 0.27 | 0.32 |
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Other
| Item | Kota Kinabalu | George Town (Malaysia) |
|---|
| Gym Membership, 1 month | 30.08 | 18.44 |
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| Cinema Ticket, 1 person | 3.25 | 2.99 |
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| Doctors visit | 17.92 | 20.37 |
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| Haircut, simple | 7.24 | 5.12 |
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| Brand Jeans | 68.13 | 47.75 |
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| Brand Sneakers | 79.53 | 69.41 |
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| Daycare or Preschool, 1 month | 139.39 | 120.01 |
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| International Primary School, 1 year | 4,852 | 4,859 |
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