Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Koh Samui Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Koh Samui

😐 Solo nomad: Kuala Lumpur is 2.7% more expensive than Koh Samui without rent, and 1.6% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Kuala Lumpur is 12.8% cheaper than Koh Samui without rent, and 21.8% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.68 MYR 19.33

$3.02 ฿96.7

54.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.1 MYR 116

$31.06 ฿994

-9.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.7 MYR 19.39

$8.39 ฿269

-43.98%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.32

$2.37 ฿75.7

26.16%

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

$0.9 MYR 3.73

$0.68 ฿21.65

32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2

$0.4 ฿12.76

22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.13 MYR 17.06

$2.47 ฿79.2

67.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 MYR 24.23

$3.57 ฿114

64.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 MYR 8.45

$1.68 ฿53.8

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.32

$1.76 ฿56.2

-40.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.85

$1.36 ฿43.57

22.06%

Eggs

$2.29 MYR 9.43

$2.33 ฿74.6

-1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 MYR 59.8

$19.74 ฿632

-26.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 MYR 19.54

$2.58 ฿82.4

83.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.82

$12.49 ฿400

-24.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 MYR 12.12

$3.4 ฿109

-13.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.71

$1.23 ฿39.47

32.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.83

$2.21 ฿70.8

18.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.5 MYR 6.2

$2.08 ฿66.5

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.03

$1.46 ฿46.58

-16.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.61

$1.43 ฿45.72

-4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 5.05

$1.02 ฿32.69

19.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.61

$0.48 ฿15.39

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.83

$4.4 ฿141

-1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 MYR 75.5

$18.2 ฿582

0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 MYR 13.8

$1.66 ฿53.2

101.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 MYR 17.49

$2.03 ฿64.8

108.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.87

$1.56 ฿49.88

-55.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.8 MYR 48.72

$45.57 ฿1,458

-74.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.2 MYR 4.93

$2.99 ฿95.7

-59.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.5

$1 ฿32.01

9.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.6 MYR 18.97

$13.62 ฿436

-66.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.1

$1.37 ฿43.81

-62.77%

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

$40K MYR 165.2K

$28.2K ฿902.6K

41.92%

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

$33.2K MYR 136.8K

$26.6K ฿851.4K

24.61%

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

$63.4 MYR 262

$112 ฿3,572

-43.17%

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

$11.47 MYR 47.33

$13.57 ฿434

-15.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.57 MYR 106

$18.68 ฿598

36.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.47 MYR 192

$31 ฿992

49.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 MYR 31.7

$18.58 ฿595

-58.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 MYR 21.13

$7.06 ฿226

-27.48%

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

$263 MYR 1,084

$653 ฿20.9K

-59.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,468 MYR 39.1K

$10.3K ฿328.7K

-7.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 MYR 246

$52.8 ฿1,689

12.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.44 MYR 155

$34.17 ฿1,093

9.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 MYR 362

$80.8 ฿2,585

8.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MYR 332

$85.3 ฿2,731

-5.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 MYR 2,377

$708 ฿22.6K

-18.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,536

$372 ฿11.9K

0.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MYR 4,496

$1,426 ฿45.6K

-23.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,665

$1,127 ฿36.1K

-42.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,361 MYR 13.9K

$2,014 ฿64.4K

66.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,518 MYR 6,264

$1,371 ฿43.9K

10.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,312 MYR 5,416

$453 ฿14.5K

189.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

5.33

-16.14%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: November 22, 2025

Last update for Koh Samui: November 25, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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