Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Abakan Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Abakan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,096 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $940 in Abakan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,456 in Abakan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,972 in Abakan, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 17% more than Abakan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Abakan are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Abakan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 MYR 19.72

$14.18 ₽1,236

-65.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 MYR 122

$31.99 ₽2,789

-5.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.57

$11.80 ₽1,029

-58.98%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MYR 13.00

$2.87 ₽250

12.20%

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

$0.87 MYR 3.50

$1.06 ₽92.2

-17.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$0.47 ₽40.99

6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.63

$0.94 ₽82.3

363.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 MYR 24.38

$1.54 ₽134

291.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 MYR 8.57

$1.28 ₽111

65.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.35

$0.91 ₽79.1

18.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.54

$2.40 ₽210

-12.08%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.05

$1.71 ₽149

45.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.3

$12.30 ₽1,073

27.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.03

$5.53 ₽482

-10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MYR 40.04

$9.83 ₽857

0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.57

$2.85 ₽249

17.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.57

$1.92 ₽167

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.66

$2.11 ₽184

13.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.71

$3.18 ₽278

-47.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.60

$0.76 ₽66.5

82.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$0.72 ₽62.9

91.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.77

$1.13 ₽98.1

4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MYR 2.89

$0.90 ₽78.5

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MYR 17.75

$2.16 ₽189

103.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.40 MYR 78.4

$9.32 ₽812

108.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.37

$1.34 ₽117

165.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 MYR 20.44

$1.79 ₽156

182.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.42 ₽36.88

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 49.90

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.94

$1.19 ₽104

2.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.09

$1.07 ₽92.9

17.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 MYR 20.35

$2.15 ₽187

133.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$0.82 ₽71.4

-4.88%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.5K

$41.8K ₽3.6M

0.37%

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

$34.7K MYR 140.3K

$36.4K ₽3.2M

-4.67%

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

$63.5 MYR 257

$79.2 ₽6,901

-19.75%

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

$9.29 MYR 37.57

$7.76 ₽676

19.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.35 MYR 107

$7.69 ₽671

242.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.81 MYR 197

$45.48 ₽3,965

7.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 MYR 31.23

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 MYR 22.17

$5.75 ₽501

-4.70%

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

$302 MYR 1,222

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K MYR 51.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 MYR 296

$42.67 ₽3,720

71.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.36 MYR 171

$49.90 ₽4,350

-15.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 MYR 364

$107 ₽9,286

-15.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MYR 407

$80.0 ₽6,972

26.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 MYR 2,431

$323 ₽28.1K

86.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,487

$239 ₽20.9K

53.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MYR 4,994

$479 ₽41.8K

157.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,549

$342 ₽29.8K

84.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 MYR 16.6K

$1,557 ₽135.8K

163.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,546 MYR 6,249

$1,269 ₽110.7K

21.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 MYR 6,366

$546 ₽47.6K

188.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

-80.91%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: August 30, 2026

Last update for Abakan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $601 in Kuala Lumpur versus $323 in Abakan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 188% higher in Kuala Lumpur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $32.00 in Abakan. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Kuala Lumpur vs $230 in Abakan – so Abakan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kuala Lumpur vs Abakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,644 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,410 in Abakan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abakan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Kuala Lumpur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $32.00 in Abakan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abakan, where all-in costs run around $940, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,096. In Abakan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abakan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abakan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Lumpur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.