Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Labuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Labuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,082 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $897 in Labuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,632 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,368 in Labuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,838 in Labuan, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 21% more than Labuan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Labuan are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Labuan 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.18

$5.15 MYR 20.56

-6.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 MYR 111

$23.23 MYR 92.7

19.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.34

$6.52 MYR 26.01

-25.61%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.45

$3.83 MYR 15.28

-18.54%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.34

$1.06 MYR 4.25

-20.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.43 MYR 1.71

16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.20

$3.61 MYR 14.39

19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 23.80

$4.99 MYR 19.89

19.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 7.95

$1.66 MYR 6.64

19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.04

$1.01 MYR 4.01

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.81

$1.25 MYR 4.98

36.80%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.10

$2.06 MYR 8.21

10.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 MYR 58.2

$14.75 MYR 58.9

-1.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 18.99

$4.23 MYR 16.89

12.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 37.90

$9.67 MYR 38.57

-1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.82

$2.85 MYR 11.37

3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.53

$1.52 MYR 6.08

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.69

$2.62 MYR 10.45

2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.08

$1.37 MYR 5.49

10.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.92

$1.24 MYR 4.96

-0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.35

$1.32 MYR 5.29

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.64

$1.03 MYR 4.13

12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.49

$0.56 MYR 2.25

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.20

$4.34 MYR 17.33

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 77.0

$18.93 MYR 75.5

1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 MYR 13.13

$2.81 MYR 11.22

17.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.85

$2.92 MYR 11.64

44.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.92

$0.69 MYR 2.77

5.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 47.16

$11.90 MYR 47.50

-0.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.59

$1.15 MYR 4.57

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.40

$1.04 MYR 4.13

5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 MYR 19.11

$5.95 MYR 23.75

-19.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.50 MYR 1.98

-4.00%

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

$39.8K MYR 158.9K

$34.8K MYR 139.0K

14.36%

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

$32.3K MYR 128.8K

$31.9K MYR 127.1K

1.33%

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

$65.0 MYR 259

$43.79 MYR 175

48.32%

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

$11.46 MYR 45.73

$9.31 MYR 37.16

23.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 101

$28.94 MYR 115

-12.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 MYR 187

$37.15 MYR 148

26.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 MYR 31.33

$5.80 MYR 23.13

35.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.15

$4.97 MYR 19.81

1.61%

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

$268 MYR 1,071

$190 MYR 758

41.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,519 MYR 38.0K

$6,898 MYR 27.5K

38.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 239

$61.9 MYR 247

-3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.97 MYR 148

$27.83 MYR 111

32.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 MYR 345

$73.2 MYR 292

18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 MYR 325

$50.8 MYR 203

60.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 MYR 2,238

$386 MYR 1,539

45.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,474

$265 MYR 1,059

39.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 MYR 4,216

$656 MYR 2,616

61.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,579

$468 MYR 1,866

38.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,233 MYR 16.9K

$1,705 MYR 6,803

148.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 MYR 6,083

$891 MYR 3,555

71.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 MYR 7,122

$382 MYR 1,523

367.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.07

9.83%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Last update for Labuan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $561 in Kuala Lumpur versus $386 in Labuan. 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 368% higher in Kuala Lumpur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $23.00 in Labuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $250 – making Labuan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Labuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,623 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,345 in Labuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% more in Kuala Lumpur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $23.00 in Labuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Labuan, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,082. In Labuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Labuan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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