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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $978 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,472 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,119 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,966 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 9% more than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Makhachkala are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Makhachkala 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 MYR 19.60

$15.75 ₽1,256

-69.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.03 MYR 115

$40.00 ₽3,191

-29.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.64

$4.96 ₽395

-3.02%

Cappuccino

$3.09 MYR 12.62

$3.27 ₽261

-5.50%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$0.78 ₽62.5

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$0.33 ₽26.31

60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.82

$1.36 ₽108

220.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 MYR 24.16

$2.50 ₽200

136.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 8.09

$1.55 ₽124

27.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$0.61 ₽48.70

70.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.84

$1.37 ₽109

21.90%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 9.29

$1.43 ₽114

58.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.79 MYR 60.5

$3.05 ₽243

384.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.48

$4.92 ₽392

-8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.47 MYR 38.70

$4.98 ₽397

90.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MYR 11.59

$1.72 ₽137

64.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.39

$1.75 ₽140

-10.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$2.71 ₽216

-3.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.04

$1.82 ₽145

-18.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.22

$0.83 ₽66.0

54.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.52

$0.46 ₽36.38

193.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.76

$2.39 ₽191

-51.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.59 ₽46.81

15.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.14

$3.19 ₽254

31.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.22 MYR 74.5

$3.78 ₽302

382.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 MYR 13.39

$1.00 ₽79.7

228.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.74

$1.93 ₽154

124.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.43 ₽34.22

58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 47.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$2.23 ₽178

-48.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$0.20 ₽16.14

475.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 MYR 19.79

$6.53 ₽521

-25.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.66 ₽52.5

-22.73%

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

$40.7K MYR 166.4K

$35.7K ₽2.8M

14.11%

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

$32.3K MYR 132.1K

$30.1K ₽2.4M

7.27%

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

$65.7 MYR 268

$53.9 ₽4,297

21.91%

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

$11.50 MYR 46.99

$6.37 ₽508

80.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.16 MYR 103

$9.78 ₽780

157.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 MYR 186

$47.75 ₽3,809

-4.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.72 MYR 31.54

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MYR 20.86

$5.12 ₽408

-0.39%

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

$267 MYR 1,089

$168 ₽13.4K

59.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,341 MYR 38.2K

$6,929 ₽552.7K

34.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 MYR 250

$105 ₽8,352

-41.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.05 MYR 151

$45.18 ₽3,604

-17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MYR 355

$105 ₽8,362

-17.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MYR 328

$144 ₽11.5K

-44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 MYR 2,366

$510 ₽40.7K

13.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,524

$304 ₽24.3K

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 MYR 4,286

$706 ₽56.3K

48.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,631

$404 ₽32.2K

59.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 MYR 16.3K

$1,638 ₽130.6K

142.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,468 MYR 6,000

$1,181 ₽94.2K

24.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,589 MYR 6,493

$814 ₽64.9K

95.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

11.33

-60.55%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 28, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $579 in Kuala Lumpur versus $510 in Makhachkala. 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 95% 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 $40.00 in Makhachkala. Groceries tell a different story – $264 in Kuala Lumpur vs $157 in Makhachkala – so Makhachkala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Makhachkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,603 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,468 in Makhachkala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $40.00 in Makhachkala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Makhachkala, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,069. In Makhachkala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Makhachkala – 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 Makhachkala. 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.