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 $1,073 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $913 in Labuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,403 in Labuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,134 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,893 in Labuan, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 17% more than Labuan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Labuan are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Labuan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 MYR 18.69

$5.41 MYR 22.13

-15.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 MYR 118

$23.81 MYR 97.4

20.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.53

$6.55 MYR 26.77

-27.18%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$3.72 MYR 15.21

-19.62%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$1.06 MYR 4.35

-19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$0.39 MYR 1.60

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.29

$3.51 MYR 14.35

20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.42

$4.98 MYR 20.39

15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$1.67 MYR 6.84

19.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$1.01 MYR 4.13

2.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$1.28 MYR 5.24

31.25%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.93

$2.11 MYR 8.64

3.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 60.3

$14.92 MYR 61.0

-1.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$4.42 MYR 18.08

3.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 39.03

$9.66 MYR 39.51

-1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$3.00 MYR 12.25

-5.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$1.53 MYR 6.25

2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.81

$2.59 MYR 10.61

1.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.23

$1.38 MYR 5.64

10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.20 MYR 4.90

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$1.28 MYR 5.23

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.03 MYR 4.23

17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.51 MYR 2.11

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.84

$4.29 MYR 17.53

1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 MYR 76.7

$16.63 MYR 68.0

12.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$2.85 MYR 11.68

13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 18.01

$3.00 MYR 12.28

46.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.14

$11.76 MYR 48.10

2.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$1.04 MYR 4.25

10.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MYR 19.14

$6.05 MYR 24.76

-22.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$0.46 MYR 1.88

2.17%

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

$40.7K MYR 166.5K

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

16.77%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.8K

$31.9K MYR 130.5K

1.72%

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

$64.5 MYR 264

$44.09 MYR 180

46.31%

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

$11.31 MYR 46.27

$8.95 MYR 36.59

26.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.58 MYR 105

$28.98 MYR 119

-11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 MYR 192

$36.71 MYR 150

27.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 MYR 32.26

$5.80 MYR 23.70

36.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.75

$4.91 MYR 20.09

3.26%

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

$272 MYR 1,113

$191 MYR 782

42.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,520 MYR 38.9K

$6,796 MYR 27.8K

40.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 249

$59.8 MYR 245

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 MYR 153

$27.52 MYR 113

35.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MYR 356

$72.8 MYR 298

19.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$51.6 MYR 211

53.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,350

$381 MYR 1,558

50.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MYR 1,486

$272 MYR 1,113

33.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MYR 4,456

$641 MYR 2,622

69.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,575

$469 MYR 1,916

34.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

$1,970 MYR 8,058

112.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 MYR 6,000

$1,287 MYR 5,265

13.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,521 MYR 6,222

$371 MYR 1,516

310.36%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Labuan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Kuala Lumpur versus $381 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 310% 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 $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $24.00 in Labuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $248 – 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 17%, 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 $1,609 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,370 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 $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $24.00 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 $913, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,073. 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.