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 $1,096 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,020 in Labuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,520 in Labuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,020 in Labuan, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 7% 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 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 MYR 19.72

$5.73 MYR 23.15

-14.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 MYR 122

$25.06 MYR 101

20.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.57

$6.69 MYR 27.06

-27.65%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MYR 13.00

$4.05 MYR 16.37

-20.49%

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

$0.87 MYR 3.50

$1.13 MYR 4.57

-23.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$0.41 MYR 1.68

21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.63

$4.12 MYR 16.67

5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 MYR 24.38

$4.77 MYR 19.28

26.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 MYR 8.57

$1.84 MYR 7.45

15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.35

$1.06 MYR 4.29

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.54

$1.46 MYR 5.92

44.52%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.05

$1.94 MYR 7.84

28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.3

$17.49 MYR 70.7

-10.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.03

$4.52 MYR 18.27

9.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MYR 40.04

$9.66 MYR 39.06

2.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.57

$3.34 MYR 13.52

0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.57

$1.59 MYR 6.43

17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.66

$2.52 MYR 10.19

-5.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.71

$1.72 MYR 6.96

-3.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.60

$1.42 MYR 5.76

-2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.09 MYR 4.39

26.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.77

$1.20 MYR 4.87

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MYR 2.89

$0.54 MYR 2.19

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MYR 17.75

$5.09 MYR 20.59

-13.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.40 MYR 78.4

$17.91 MYR 72.4

8.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.37

$2.69 MYR 10.86

32.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 MYR 20.44

$4.15 MYR 16.79

21.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.65 MYR 2.64

18.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 49.90

$11.40 MYR 46.08

8.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.94

$1.21 MYR 4.89

0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.09

$0.50 MYR 2.00

152.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 MYR 20.35

$7.73 MYR 31.27

-34.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$0.79 MYR 3.19

-1.27%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.5K

$43.3K MYR 175.1K

-3.19%

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

$34.7K MYR 140.3K

$33.1K MYR 133.9K

4.77%

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

$63.5 MYR 257

$49.44 MYR 200

28.48%

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

$9.29 MYR 37.57

$10.25 MYR 41.43

-9.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.35 MYR 107

$29.01 MYR 117

-9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.81 MYR 197

$44.04 MYR 178

10.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 MYR 31.23

$5.76 MYR 23.27

34.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 MYR 22.17

$4.58 MYR 18.50

19.65%

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

$302 MYR 1,222

$165 MYR 665

83.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K MYR 51.1K

$4,895 MYR 19.8K

158.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 MYR 296

$55.1 MYR 223

32.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.36 MYR 171

$31.19 MYR 126

35.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 MYR 364

$73.6 MYR 298

22.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MYR 407

$66.8 MYR 270

50.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 MYR 2,431

$469 MYR 1,895

28.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,487

$329 MYR 1,329

11.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MYR 4,994

$646 MYR 2,611

91.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,549

$462 MYR 1,869

36.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 MYR 16.6K

$2,199 MYR 8,892

86.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,546 MYR 6,249

$1,158 MYR 4,681

33.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 MYR 6,366

$367 MYR 1,485

328.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: August 30, 2026

Last update for Labuan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $601 in Kuala Lumpur versus $469 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 329% 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 $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $25.00 in Labuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $267 – 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 7%, 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 $1,644 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,530 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 $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $25.00 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 $1,020, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,096. 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.