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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,082 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $734 in Maracaibo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,632 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,244 in Maracaibo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,754 in Maracaibo, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 47% more than Maracaibo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Maracaibo are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Maracaibo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.06

$10.37 VES 5,777

-53.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 MYR 110

$39.97 VES 22.3K

-30.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.22

$8.82 VES 4,915

-45.01%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$2.65 VES 1,476

17.74%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$1.20 VES 671

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.30 VES 724

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$2.32 VES 1,290

85.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 23.65

$2.95 VES 1,643

102.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 7.90

$1.79 VES 996

11.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.01

$1.94 VES 1,080

-47.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.77

$1.09 VES 607

56.88%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.05

$3.19 VES 1,775

-28.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 MYR 57.8

$5.95 VES 3,318

145.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 18.87

$5.39 VES 3,003

-11.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 37.66

$6.08 VES 3,386

56.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$4.51 VES 2,513

-34.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.49

$1.38 VES 769

18.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.63

$1.71 VES 954

56.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.47 VES 820

3.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.89

$1.16 VES 649

6.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.32

$1.62 VES 905

-17.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$1.01 VES 564

14.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$1.60 VES 889

-60.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$3.43 VES 1,914

25.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 76.5

$8.97 VES 4,997

115.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 MYR 13.05

$1.06 VES 591

210.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$2.64 VES 1,473

59.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.90

$0.51 VES 287

43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 46.87

$41.83 VES 23.3K

-71.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$4.11 VES 2,290

-72.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$1.95 VES 1,087

-43.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 MYR 18.99

$17.77 VES 9,900

-73.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.89

$0.48 VES 269

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

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

$22.2K VES 12.4M

79.40%

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

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

$31.0K VES 17.3M

4.13%

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

$65.0 MYR 258

$16.22 VES 9,038

300.43%

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

$11.46 MYR 45.44

$9.02 VES 5,028

27.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 101

$25.85 VES 14.4K

-1.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 MYR 186

$34.34 VES 19.1K

36.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 MYR 31.13

$23.43 VES 13.1K

-66.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.03

$5.04 VES 2,807

0.20%

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

$268 MYR 1,064

$112 VES 62.5K

139.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

$13.9K VES 7.8M

-31.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 238

$41.75 VES 23.3K

43.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.97 MYR 147

$42.17 VES 23.5K

-12.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 MYR 343

$57.8 VES 32.2K

49.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 MYR 323

$60.3 VES 33.6K

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 MYR 2,224

$180 VES 100.5K

210.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,465

$101 VES 56.0K

267.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 MYR 4,189

$330 VES 183.7K

220.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,563

$209 VES 116.6K

209.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

$759 VES 423.0K

457.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 MYR 6,044

$502 VES 279.5K

203.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 MYR 7,077

$196 VES 109.5K

808.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

26.6

-83.20%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Last update for Maracaibo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $561 in Kuala Lumpur versus $180 in Maracaibo. 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 809% 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 Maracaibo. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Kuala Lumpur vs $221 in Maracaibo – so Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,623 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,101 in Maracaibo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $40.00 in Maracaibo. 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 Maracaibo, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,082. In Maracaibo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maracaibo – 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 Maracaibo. 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.