Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Hagatna

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuala Lumpur: $1,086 a month against $2,740 in Hagatna, rent and utilities included – about $19,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Hagatna outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Kuala Lumpur
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Kuala Lumpur Living Index

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Kuala Lumpur

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,086

/mo nomad

Hagatna

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,740

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kuala Lumpur and in Hagatna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kuala Lumpur and in Hagatna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,740 in Hagatna, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur $1,086
Hagatna $2,740

A couple spends around $1,663 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,939 in Hagatna, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur $1,663
Hagatna $2,939

A family of three spends $2,239 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $3,138 in Hagatna, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur $2,239
Hagatna $3,138

Kuala Lumpur is about 60% cheaper than Hagatna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kuala Lumpur sits 20% below the global median, while Hagatna is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 MYR 19.40

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.15 MYR 119

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.50

Cappuccino

$3.08 MYR 12.57

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.49 MYR 18.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 24.35

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 MYR 8.31

$3.85 $3.85

-47.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 8.22

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.15

$9.46 $9.46

-73.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 MYR 57.9

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.11

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 MYR 40.19

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.29

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.44

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 MYR 9.36

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.53

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.44

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.53

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.46

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 MYR 80.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.12

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.45 MYR 50.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 5.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MYR 4.84

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 MYR 19.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.59

$1.32 $1.32

-33.33%

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

$41.8K MYR 170.4K

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

$34.9K MYR 142.4K

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

$61.2 MYR 250

$345 $345

-82.27%

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

$8.63 MYR 35.22

$60.5 $60.5

-85.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.31 MYR 107

$59.6 $59.6

-55.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.33 MYR 201

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.47 MYR 30.46

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.17

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

$302 MYR 1,234

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MYR 54.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 MYR 292

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.57 MYR 170

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 MYR 345

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 MYR 397

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 MYR 2,490

$2,178 $2,178

-71.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,513

$2,198 $2,198

-83.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 MYR 4,646

$2,423 $2,423

-53.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 MYR 2,696

$2,402 $2,402

-72.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,114 MYR 16.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,500 MYR 6,120

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,494 MYR 6,093

$6,807 $6,807

-78.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.18

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: October 12, 2026

Last update for Hagatna: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kuala Lumpur

$371 34.1%

Hagatna

–

Groceries & Markets

Kuala Lumpur

$276 25.4%

Hagatna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Kuala Lumpur

$133 12.2%

Hagatna

–

Eating Out

Kuala Lumpur

$129 11.9%

Hagatna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kuala Lumpur

$96 8.9%

Hagatna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Kuala Lumpur

$59 5.5%

Hagatna

–

Getting Around

Kuala Lumpur

$22 2.1%

Hagatna

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $610 in Kuala Lumpur versus $2,178 in Hagatna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 356% higher in Hagatna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur

🇬🇺 Hagatna

🕒 Local time

09:09 9:09 AM

11:09 11:09 AM

2 h ahead of Kuala Lumpur

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,982,112 Capital

1,100 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Kuala Lumpur Hagatna 4,870 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Kuala Lumpur
Hagatna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hagatna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hagatna costs about 152% more than Kuala Lumpur, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,629 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $4,110 in Hagatna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuala Lumpur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,086 in Kuala Lumpur and $2,740 in Hagatna. That's a gap of about 152%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 261% cheaper in Hagatna – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuala Lumpur, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Hagatna at $2,740. In Kuala Lumpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hagatna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuala Lumpur costs $1,086 versus $2,740 in Hagatna. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kuala Lumpur. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hagatna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.