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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 31% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.06

$3.01 MYR 11.94

59.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 MYR 110

$21.01 MYR 83.3

32.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.22

$4.36 MYR 17.29

11.24%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$2.52 MYR 10.01

23.81%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$0.76 MYR 3.02

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.34 MYR 1.34

47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$4.33 MYR 17.17

-0.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 23.65

$4.73 MYR 18.75

26.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 7.90

$1.84 MYR 7.31

8.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.01

$1.09 MYR 4.31

-7.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.77

$1.62 MYR 6.43

5.56%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.05

$2.12 MYR 8.40

7.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 MYR 57.8

$17.23 MYR 68.3

-15.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 18.87

$4.89 MYR 19.38

-2.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 37.66

$10.81 MYR 42.86

-12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$2.93 MYR 11.62

1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.49

$1.42 MYR 5.63

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.63

$2.22 MYR 8.81

20.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.28 MYR 5.06

18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.89

$0.82 MYR 3.24

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.32

$1.22 MYR 4.83

9.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$0.74 MYR 2.92

56.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.54 MYR 2.15

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$4.04 MYR 16.02

6.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 76.5

$12.85 MYR 51.0

50.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 MYR 13.05

$2.65 MYR 10.52

24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$3.52 MYR 13.95

19.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.90

$0.46 MYR 1.81

58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 46.87

$11.83 MYR 46.91

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$1.20 MYR 4.76

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$0.44 MYR 1.74

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 MYR 18.99

$6.62 MYR 26.25

-27.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.89

$0.49 MYR 1.96

-2.04%

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

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

$34.0K MYR 134.7K

17.27%

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

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

$24.9K MYR 98.9K

29.47%

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

$65.0 MYR 258

$38.38 MYR 152

69.23%

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

$11.46 MYR 45.44

$9.53 MYR 37.79

20.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 101

$29.64 MYR 118

-14.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 MYR 186

$39.42 MYR 156

18.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 MYR 31.13

$3.70 MYR 14.68

112.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.03

$4.00 MYR 15.85

26.25%

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

$268 MYR 1,064

$150 MYR 597

78.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

$4,504 MYR 17.9K

111.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 238

$51.5 MYR 204

16.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.97 MYR 147

$28.82 MYR 114

28.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 MYR 343

$60.2 MYR 239

43.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 MYR 323

$52.4 MYR 208

55.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 MYR 2,224

$371 MYR 1,473

51.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,465

$254 MYR 1,008

45.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 MYR 4,189

$725 MYR 2,876

45.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,563

$491 MYR 1,948

31.57%

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)

$1,785 MYR 7,077

$1,097 MYR 4,350

62.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.16

7.45%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Last update for George Town: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $561 in Kuala Lumpur and $371 in George Town. 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: $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $252 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

Kuala Lumpur vs George Town: 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.

Kuala Lumpur pays 63% 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: $561 in Kuala Lumpur versus $371 in George Town. 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 $268 in Kuala Lumpur versus $150 in George Town. 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, Kuala Lumpur and George Town 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.