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: $1,073 in Kuala Lumpur versus $850 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,604 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,300 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,134 in Kuala Lumpur versus $1,750 in George Town.

Living in Kuala Lumpur is roughly 26% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, George Town 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 MYR 18.69

$2.99 MYR 12.21

52.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 MYR 118

$21.37 MYR 87.4

34.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.53

$4.14 MYR 16.92

15.22%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$2.59 MYR 10.59

15.44%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$0.71 MYR 2.92

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$0.34 MYR 1.38

55.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.29

$4.25 MYR 17.39

-0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.42

$4.67 MYR 19.09

22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$1.89 MYR 7.72

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$1.11 MYR 4.56

-6.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$1.67 MYR 6.84

0.60%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.93

$2.06 MYR 8.44

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 60.3

$16.98 MYR 69.4

-13.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$5.11 MYR 20.89

-10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 39.03

$10.72 MYR 43.84

-11.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$2.78 MYR 11.38

2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$1.38 MYR 5.63

13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.81

$2.17 MYR 8.89

21.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.23

$1.26 MYR 5.17

20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$0.89 MYR 3.63

39.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$1.17 MYR 4.79

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.74 MYR 3.01

63.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.54 MYR 2.21

25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.84

$4.17 MYR 17.06

4.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 MYR 76.7

$12.36 MYR 50.6

51.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$2.69 MYR 10.98

20.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 18.01

$3.37 MYR 13.78

30.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.48 MYR 1.98

45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.14

$11.56 MYR 47.26

3.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$1.15 MYR 4.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$0.46 MYR 1.89

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MYR 19.14

$6.52 MYR 26.65

-28.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$0.47 MYR 1.90

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

$40.7K MYR 166.5K

$33.3K MYR 136.0K

22.38%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.8K

$25.4K MYR 104.1K

27.57%

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

$64.5 MYR 264

$38.12 MYR 156

69.23%

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

$11.31 MYR 46.27

$9.47 MYR 38.75

19.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.58 MYR 105

$28.91 MYR 118

-11.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 MYR 192

$38.83 MYR 159

20.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 MYR 32.26

$3.79 MYR 15.50

108.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.75

$3.98 MYR 16.26

27.39%

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

$272 MYR 1,113

$148 MYR 605

83.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,520 MYR 38.9K

$4,625 MYR 18.9K

105.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 249

$51.8 MYR 212

17.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 MYR 153

$28.85 MYR 118

29.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MYR 356

$61.1 MYR 250

42.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$53.7 MYR 219

47.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,350

$370 MYR 1,512

55.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MYR 1,486

$252 MYR 1,032

43.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MYR 4,456

$714 MYR 2,921

52.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,575

$500 MYR 2,045

25.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 MYR 6,000

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,521 MYR 6,222

$1,078 MYR 4,409

41.11%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for George Town: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Kuala Lumpur and $370 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 41% 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 $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $250 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $575 in Kuala Lumpur versus $370 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 4% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $272 in Kuala Lumpur versus $148 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $850 in George Town versus $1,073 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 26% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.