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 $1,073 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $745 in Maracaibo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,249 in Maracaibo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,134 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,753 in Maracaibo, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 44% more than Maracaibo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Maracaibo are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Maracaibo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 MYR 18.69

$10.59 VES 7,784

-56.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 MYR 118

$40.33 VES 29.6K

-28.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.53

$8.79 VES 6,458

-45.73%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$2.75 VES 2,025

8.73%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$1.15 VES 844

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$1.30 VES 956

-59.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.29

$2.20 VES 1,614

92.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.42

$3.03 VES 2,228

89.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$1.72 VES 1,266

15.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$2.01 VES 1,476

-48.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$1.11 VES 817

51.35%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.93

$3.04 VES 2,236

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 60.3

$5.90 VES 4,335

149.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$5.27 VES 3,874

-12.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 39.03

$6.34 VES 4,657

50.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$4.31 VES 3,166

-34.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$1.37 VES 1,007

14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.81

$1.68 VES 1,238

57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.23

$1.48 VES 1,084

2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.17 VES 861

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$1.69 VES 1,241

-19.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.99 VES 726

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.63 VES 1,202

-58.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.84

$3.44 VES 2,529

26.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 MYR 76.7

$9.27 VES 6,814

102.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$1.07 VES 783

202.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 18.01

$2.65 VES 1,946

66.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.49 VES 358

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.14

$42.21 VES 31.0K

-71.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$3.90 VES 2,866

-70.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$1.96 VES 1,443

-41.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MYR 19.14

$17.73 VES 13.0K

-73.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$0.52 VES 380

-9.62%

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

$40.7K MYR 166.5K

$22.8K VES 16.8M

78.37%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.8K

$31.2K VES 22.9M

4.01%

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

$64.5 MYR 264

$16.36 VES 12.0K

294.32%

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

$11.31 MYR 46.27

$8.61 VES 6,328

31.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.58 MYR 105

$25.41 VES 18.7K

0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 MYR 192

$34.13 VES 25.1K

37.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 MYR 32.26

$23.62 VES 17.4K

-66.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.75

$4.97 VES 3,650

2.01%

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

$272 MYR 1,113

$111 VES 81.7K

145.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,520 MYR 38.9K

$14.3K VES 10.5M

-33.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 249

$41.23 VES 30.3K

47.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 MYR 153

$41.87 VES 30.8K

-10.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MYR 356

$58.7 VES 43.1K

48.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$59.6 VES 43.8K

32.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,350

$181 VES 132.7K

218.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MYR 1,486

$102 VES 75.1K

255.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MYR 4,456

$327 VES 240.4K

233.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,575

$213 VES 156.3K

196.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

$763 VES 561.2K

447.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 MYR 6,000

$497 VES 365.6K

194.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,521 MYR 6,222

$198 VES 145.8K

667.01%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maracaibo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Kuala Lumpur versus $181 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 667% 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 $40.00 in Maracaibo. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Kuala Lumpur vs $220 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 44%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,118 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 20% 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 $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 $745, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,073. 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.