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: $1,069 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,029 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,594 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,529 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,119 in Kuala Lumpur versus $2,029 in Astrakhan.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 4% more expensive than in Astrakhan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Astrakhan 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 MYR 19.60

$10.85 ₽865

-55.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.03 MYR 115

$34.14 ₽2,724

-17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.64

$7.77 ₽620

-38.10%

Cappuccino

$3.09 MYR 12.62

$1.86 ₽148

66.13%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$0.92 ₽73.2

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.49 ₽38.80

8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.82

$1.29 ₽103

237.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 MYR 24.16

$2.56 ₽204

130.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 8.09

$1.33 ₽106

48.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$1.05 ₽83.9

-0.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.84

$1.06 ₽84.7

57.55%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 9.29

$1.80 ₽144

26.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.79 MYR 60.5

$24.51 ₽1,955

-39.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.48

$4.73 ₽377

-4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.47 MYR 38.70

$6.80 ₽542

39.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MYR 11.59

$1.55 ₽124

82.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.39

$1.73 ₽138

-9.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$1.62 ₽129

61.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.04

$2.39 ₽191

-38.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.22

$0.91 ₽72.5

40.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.52

$0.57 ₽45.39

136.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$1.39 ₽111

-16.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.65 ₽52.2

4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.14

$1.86 ₽148

125.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.22 MYR 74.5

$3.78 ₽302

382.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.39

$1.10 ₽87.7

198.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.74

$1.88 ₽150

130.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.50 ₽39.75

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 47.25

$22.08 ₽1,761

-47.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$2.59 ₽207

-55.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$0.35 ₽27.99

228.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 MYR 19.79

$3.87 ₽309

25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.86 ₽68.4

-40.70%

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

$40.7K MYR 166.4K

$34.3K ₽2.7M

18.58%

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

$32.3K MYR 132.1K

$32.2K ₽2.6M

0.37%

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

$65.7 MYR 268

$105 ₽8,371

-37.42%

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

$11.50 MYR 46.99

$6.54 ₽522

75.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.16 MYR 103

$5.49 ₽438

358.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 MYR 186

$48.36 ₽3,858

-6.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.72 MYR 31.54

$24.45 ₽1,950

-68.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MYR 20.86

$5.33 ₽425

-4.32%

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

$267 MYR 1,089

$114 ₽9,111

133.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,341 MYR 38.2K

$6,933 ₽553.0K

34.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 MYR 250

$57.7 ₽4,600

5.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.05 MYR 151

$32.19 ₽2,568

15.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 355

$90.2 ₽7,192

-3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MYR 328

$127 ₽10.2K

-37.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 MYR 2,366

$407 ₽32.5K

42.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,524

$316 ₽25.2K

18.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 MYR 4,286

$449 ₽35.8K

133.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,631

$381 ₽30.4K

69.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 MYR 16.3K

$1,268 ₽101.2K

213.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,468 MYR 6,000

$633 ₽50.5K

131.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,589 MYR 6,493

$414 ₽33.0K

283.97%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $579 in Kuala Lumpur and $407 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 284% 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 $34.00 in Astrakhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $223, 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 4% in total monthly costs ($1,069 vs $1,029 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 284% 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: $579 in Kuala Lumpur versus $407 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 91% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $267 in Kuala Lumpur versus $114 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,029 in Astrakhan versus $1,069 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 4% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.