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: $1,096 in Kuala Lumpur versus $951 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,700 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,630 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,303 in Kuala Lumpur versus $2,309 in George Town.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 15% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, George Town 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 MYR 19.68

$3.44 MYR 13.88

41.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 MYR 122

$15.48 MYR 62.4

94.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.53

$4.78 MYR 19.28

1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MYR 12.97

$2.79 MYR 11.25

15.41%

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

$0.87 MYR 3.49

$0.72 MYR 2.89

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$0.33 MYR 1.32

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.59

$2.52 MYR 10.18

73.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 MYR 24.32

$4.48 MYR 18.06

34.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 MYR 8.55

$1.87 MYR 7.52

13.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.34

$1.10 MYR 4.44

-1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.52

$1.70 MYR 6.84

24.12%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.03

$2.18 MYR 8.78

14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.1

$13.19 MYR 53.2

18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 19.98

$4.53 MYR 18.26

9.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MYR 39.95

$8.83 MYR 35.62

12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.54

$2.42 MYR 9.76

38.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.55

$1.45 MYR 5.86

28.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.64

$2.35 MYR 9.50

1.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$1.21 MYR 4.89

37.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.59

$0.87 MYR 3.50

59.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.57

$0.81 MYR 3.26

70.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.76

$0.76 MYR 3.05

55.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MYR 2.89

$0.57 MYR 2.31

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MYR 17.71

$4.55 MYR 18.36

-3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.40 MYR 78.3

$19.72 MYR 79.5

-1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.34

$2.44 MYR 9.84

45.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 MYR 20.40

$3.80 MYR 15.34

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.10

$0.48 MYR 1.95

60.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 49.78

$11.09 MYR 44.72

11.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.93

$1.26 MYR 5.07

-3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.07

$0.48 MYR 1.93

162.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 MYR 20.30

$7.02 MYR 28.33

-28.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$0.77 MYR 3.10

1.30%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.1K

$42.7K MYR 172.3K

-1.85%

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

$34.7K MYR 140.0K

$28.1K MYR 113.3K

23.53%

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

$63.5 MYR 256

$37.60 MYR 152

68.94%

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

$9.29 MYR 37.48

$8.18 MYR 33.01

13.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.35 MYR 106

$29.47 MYR 119

-10.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.81 MYR 197

$40.15 MYR 162

21.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 MYR 31.16

$5.02 MYR 20.25

53.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 MYR 22.12

$4.68 MYR 18.86

17.09%

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

$302 MYR 1,219

$172 MYR 692

76.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K MYR 51.0K

$5,013 MYR 20.2K

152.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 MYR 295

$55.0 MYR 222

33.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.36 MYR 171

$34.57 MYR 139

22.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 MYR 363

$75.2 MYR 303

19.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MYR 406

$71.2 MYR 287

41.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 MYR 2,425

$521 MYR 2,103

15.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,484

$378 MYR 1,525

-2.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MYR 4,983

$926 MYR 3,737

33.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,543

$1,003 MYR 4,048

-37.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 MYR 16.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,546 MYR 6,235

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 MYR 6,352

$1,106 MYR 4,461

42.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.24

-0.94%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: August 30, 2026

Last update for George Town: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $601 in Kuala Lumpur and $521 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 42% 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: $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur vs $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $244 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% 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: $601 in Kuala Lumpur versus $521 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 11% 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 $172 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $951 in George Town versus $1,096 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 15% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.