Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Kuala Lumpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,048 in Kuala Lumpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,583 in Kuala Lumpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,117 in Kuala Lumpur.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 37% less than in Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 51% lower, Kuala Lumpur 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$4.64 MYR 18.82

-58.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 MYR 80.9

$28.84 MYR 117

-30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 MYR 15.02

$4.73 MYR 19.20

-21.78%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$3.08 MYR 12.47

-27.60%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.91 MYR 3.70

-18.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.53 MYR 2.16

-35.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MYR 12.74

$4.18 MYR 16.94

-24.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MYR 19.04

$5.87 MYR 23.80

-19.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$1.99 MYR 8.08

-16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.40

$1.05 MYR 4.25

3.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$1.74 MYR 7.05

-67.82%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 MYR 92.3

$14.64 MYR 59.4

55.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$4.52 MYR 18.31

11.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 MYR 42.28

$9.83 MYR 39.85

6.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 MYR 15.75

$2.86 MYR 11.59

35.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.64 MYR 6.66

7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 14.10

$2.74 MYR 11.10

27.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.77

$1.52 MYR 6.18

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.12

$1.28 MYR 5.19

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.04

$1.38 MYR 5.61

-27.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$1.16 MYR 4.71

-4.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.64 MYR 2.59

-43.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$4.13 MYR 16.74

4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 MYR 76.7

$19.03 MYR 77.2

-0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.34

$3.36 MYR 13.62

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MYR 10.59

$4.28 MYR 17.34

-39.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.72 MYR 2.94

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 47.83

$11.80 MYR 47.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.16 MYR 4.72

3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.59

$1.10 MYR 4.46

2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 MYR 17.25

$4.70 MYR 19.05

-9.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.51 MYR 2.08

-9.80%

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

$44.2K MYR 179.3K

$40.4K MYR 163.8K

9.42%

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

$31.2K MYR 126.7K

$32.8K MYR 133.0K

-4.73%

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

$26.68 MYR 108

$63.6 MYR 258

-58.02%

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

$9.95 MYR 40.36

$11.50 MYR 46.62

-13.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.90 MYR 117

$25.57 MYR 104

13.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 151

$45.64 MYR 185

-18.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 23.99

$7.61 MYR 30.87

-22.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MYR 16.85

$5.04 MYR 20.43

-17.46%

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

$119 MYR 483

$263 MYR 1,067

-54.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,260 MYR 17.3K

$9,446 MYR 38.3K

-54.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.98 MYR 48.58

$61.3 MYR 249

-80.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 MYR 256

$37.36 MYR 152

69.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.23 MYR 94.2

$84.8 MYR 344

-72.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 MYR 317

$80.2 MYR 325

-2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$579 MYR 2,347

-32.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.8 MYR 238

$366 MYR 1,485

-83.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,662

$1,070 MYR 4,337

-38.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,936

$636 MYR 2,578

-24.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,242 MYR 17.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,498 MYR 6,074

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$990 MYR 4,016

$1,727 MYR 7,004

-42.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

4.47

-11.41%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Bukit Mertajam and $579 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 74% 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 Bukit Mertajam vs $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $267, with Kuala Lumpur 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

Bukit Mertajam vs Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Kuala Lumpur differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($661 vs $1,048 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kuala Lumpur earns 74% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $391 in Bukit Mertajam versus $579 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $661 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,048 in Kuala Lumpur – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,048 in Kuala Lumpur, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Kuala Lumpur. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam 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, Bukit Mertajam and Kuala Lumpur 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.