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: $1,059 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,028 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,608 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,530 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in Kuala Lumpur versus $2,032 in Astrakhan.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 3% more expensive than Astrakhan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 21% lower, Astrakhan 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 MYR 18.40

$10.80 ₽811

-56.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.90 MYR 110

$33.14 ₽2,489

-15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 MYR 18.18

$7.76 ₽583

-40.72%

Cappuccino

$3.14 MYR 12.39

$1.87 ₽141

67.91%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.62

$0.85 ₽64.0

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.09

$0.52 ₽39.31

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 MYR 16.26

$1.30 ₽97.9

216.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MYR 22.79

$2.57 ₽193

124.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 MYR 8.11

$1.28 ₽95.9

60.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.15

$1.05 ₽79.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.76

$1.02 ₽76.9

67.65%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 8.96

$1.77 ₽133

28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 MYR 56.6

$24.66 ₽1,853

-41.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 18.46

$4.98 ₽374

-6.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 MYR 38.40

$6.95 ₽522

39.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.70

$1.64 ₽123

80.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.47

$1.75 ₽131

-6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.30

$1.62 ₽122

61.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.74

$2.41 ₽181

-39.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$0.95 ₽71.6

29.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$0.56 ₽41.78

137.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.65

$1.39 ₽105

-15.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.52

$0.66 ₽49.68

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.10

$1.89 ₽142

129.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.33 MYR 76.4

$6.59 ₽495

193.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.38

$1.06 ₽79.6

219.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 17.38

$1.93 ₽145

127.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.53 ₽39.46

35.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.10

$21.96 ₽1,650

-45.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.53

$2.47 ₽186

-53.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$0.33 ₽24.78

242.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MYR 18.34

$3.77 ₽283

23.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.94 ₽70.6

-46.81%

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

$40.3K MYR 159.2K

$34.7K ₽2.6M

16.26%

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

$32.2K MYR 127.0K

$32.0K ₽2.4M

0.35%

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

$63.7 MYR 252

$102 ₽7,629

-37.27%

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

$11.44 MYR 45.19

$6.47 ₽486

76.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.19 MYR 99.5

$5.51 ₽414

357.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 MYR 184

$48.96 ₽3,677

-4.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.59 MYR 29.98

$24.95 ₽1,874

-69.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.26 MYR 20.80

$5.49 ₽412

-4.19%

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

$266 MYR 1,049

$113 ₽8,517

134.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,549 MYR 37.7K

$6,984 ₽524.5K

36.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 244

$58.2 ₽4,370

6.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.70 MYR 145

$31.48 ₽2,364

16.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 346

$90.3 ₽6,784

-3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 MYR 315

$126 ₽9,499

-37.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 MYR 2,223

$418 ₽31.4K

34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,459

$313 ₽23.5K

18.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 MYR 4,139

$440 ₽33.0K

138.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 MYR 2,469

$382 ₽28.7K

63.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,024 MYR 15.9K

$1,686 ₽126.7K

138.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,144

$1,201 ₽90.2K

29.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,594 MYR 6,296

$508 ₽38.1K

213.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

15.33

-70.84%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: April 27, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $563 in Kuala Lumpur and $418 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 214% 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: $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $33.00 in Astrakhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $231, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,059 vs $1,028 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kuala Lumpur pays 214% more on average, 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: $563 in Kuala Lumpur versus $418 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 84% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $266 in Kuala Lumpur versus $113 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,028 in Astrakhan versus $1,059 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 3% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.