Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Kuala Lumpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $826 in George Town versus $1,082 in Kuala Lumpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,309 in George Town versus $1,632 in Kuala Lumpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,792 in George Town versus $2,182 in Kuala Lumpur.

Living in George Town costs roughly 24% less than in Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 38% lower, Kuala Lumpur 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 MYR 11.94

$4.81 MYR 19.06

-37.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.01 MYR 83.3

$27.80 MYR 110

-24.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 MYR 17.29

$4.85 MYR 19.22

-10.10%

Cappuccino

$2.52 MYR 10.01

$3.12 MYR 12.37

-19.23%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.02

$0.84 MYR 3.32

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.34

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.17

$4.31 MYR 17.09

0.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MYR 18.75

$5.97 MYR 23.65

-20.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.31

$1.99 MYR 7.90

-7.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.31

$1.01 MYR 4.01

7.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.43

$1.71 MYR 6.77

-5.26%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.40

$2.28 MYR 9.05

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 MYR 68.3

$14.58 MYR 57.8

18.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.38

$4.76 MYR 18.87

2.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 42.86

$9.50 MYR 37.66

13.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.62

$2.96 MYR 11.75

-1.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.63

$1.64 MYR 6.49

-13.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MYR 8.81

$2.68 MYR 10.63

-17.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.06

$1.52 MYR 6.04

-15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MYR 3.24

$1.23 MYR 4.89

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.83

$1.34 MYR 5.32

-8.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MYR 2.92

$1.16 MYR 4.61

-36.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.15

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MYR 16.02

$4.31 MYR 17.09

-6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 MYR 51.0

$19.29 MYR 76.5

-33.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.52

$3.29 MYR 13.05

-19.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 13.95

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.73 MYR 2.90

-36.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.91

$11.82 MYR 46.87

0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$1.15 MYR 4.56

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.74

$1.10 MYR 4.38

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 MYR 26.25

$4.79 MYR 18.99

38.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$0.48 MYR 1.89

2.08%

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

$34.0K MYR 134.7K

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

-14.73%

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

$24.9K MYR 98.9K

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

-22.76%

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

$38.38 MYR 152

$65.0 MYR 258

-40.91%

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

$9.53 MYR 37.79

$11.46 MYR 45.44

-16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.64 MYR 118

$25.42 MYR 101

16.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.42 MYR 156

$46.84 MYR 186

-15.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 MYR 14.68

$7.85 MYR 31.13

-52.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.00 MYR 15.85

$5.05 MYR 20.03

-20.79%

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

$150 MYR 597

$268 MYR 1,064

-43.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,504 MYR 17.9K

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

-52.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 MYR 204

$59.9 MYR 238

-14.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.82 MYR 114

$36.97 MYR 147

-22.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 MYR 239

$86.4 MYR 343

-30.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 MYR 208

$81.6 MYR 323

-35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,473

$561 MYR 2,224

-33.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MYR 1,008

$369 MYR 1,465

-31.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 MYR 2,876

$1,057 MYR 4,189

-31.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 MYR 1,948

$646 MYR 2,563

-23.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 MYR 6,044

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,097 MYR 4,350

$1,785 MYR 7,077

-38.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.47

-6.94%

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

Last update for George Town: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in George Town and $561 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 63% 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: $21.00 in George Town vs $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $267 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

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

George Town vs Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuala Lumpur earns 63% 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: $371 in George Town versus $561 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 0% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $150 in George Town versus $268 in Kuala Lumpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $826 in George Town versus $1,082 in Kuala Lumpur, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Kuala Lumpur. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kuala Lumpur, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.