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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,120 in Kuala Lumpur versus $836 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,685 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,263 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,690 in Astrakhan.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 34% more expensive than in Astrakhan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Astrakhan 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 MYR 20.62

$8.56 ₽719

-40.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.14 MYR 119

$35.43 ₽2,977

-17.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.56

$6.42 ₽540

-25.08%

Cappuccino

$3.17 MYR 12.89

$1.97 ₽165

60.91%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.32

$1.08 ₽90.4

-24.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.64 ₽54.1

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MYR 18.02

$1.14 ₽95.7

288.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 MYR 24.40

$2.28 ₽192

163.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 MYR 8.61

$1.13 ₽95.2

87.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$0.59 ₽49.41

88.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.55

$0.80 ₽67.5

162.50%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.12

$1.58 ₽133

57.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.53 MYR 63.2

$10.36 ₽871

49.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 MYR 20.07

$4.17 ₽350

18.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 MYR 39.17

$5.69 ₽479

69.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 MYR 13.76

$1.23 ₽104

174.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.61

$1.61 ₽136

16.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.71

$1.45 ₽122

64.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.63

$1.85 ₽155

-11.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.55

$1.00 ₽84.5

36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$0.69 ₽58.2

110.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$0.85 ₽71.3

35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.42 ₽35.55

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.96

$1.72 ₽145

156.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 MYR 76.7

$3.43 ₽288

449.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.42

$0.83 ₽69.6

326.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.51 ₽42.55

50.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.27 MYR 49.93

$20.51 ₽1,724

-40.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$2.24 ₽188

-45.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MYR 4.99

$0.59 ₽50.0

108.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 MYR 20.04

$3.57 ₽300

38.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.11

$0.76 ₽64.0

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

$42.8K MYR 174.0K

$25.5K ₽2.1M

67.83%

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

$35.4K MYR 144.0K

$27.9K ₽2.3M

26.92%

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

$63.5 MYR 258

$58.1 ₽4,883

9.21%

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

$9.41 MYR 38.29

$5.86 ₽493

60.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.74 MYR 109

$8.18 ₽688

226.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 MYR 205

$20.47 ₽1,720

145.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.64 MYR 31.07

$4.57 ₽384

67.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 MYR 22.55

$4.19 ₽352

32.22%

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

$302 MYR 1,230

$105 ₽8,852

187.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K MYR 51.6K

$6,335 ₽532.4K

100.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 299

$40.10 ₽3,370

83.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.08 MYR 171

$35.31 ₽2,967

19.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 MYR 361

$68.7 ₽5,777

29.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 MYR 395

$52.1 ₽4,376

86.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 MYR 2,470

$465 ₽39.0K

30.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 MYR 1,492

$347 ₽29.2K

5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 MYR 4,933

$649 ₽54.5K

86.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,612

$519 ₽43.7K

23.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,079 MYR 16.6K

$1,186 ₽99.7K

243.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,246

$581 ₽48.8K

164.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,493 MYR 6,075

$372 ₽31.3K

301.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

-77.89%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: September 5, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Kuala Lumpur and $465 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 301% 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: $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $35.00 in Astrakhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $150, with Astrakhan 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

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

Kuala Lumpur and Astrakhan differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,120 vs $836 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 301% higher in Kuala Lumpur, 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: $607 in Kuala Lumpur versus $465 in Astrakhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Astrakhan runs roughly 67% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $302 in Kuala Lumpur versus $105 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $836 in Astrakhan versus $1,120 in Kuala Lumpur, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Kuala Lumpur. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan 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, Kuala Lumpur and Astrakhan 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 Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.