Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Port Elizabeth Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Port Elizabeth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,096 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,236 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,900 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,563 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur is about 11% cheaper than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Port Elizabeth 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 MYR 19.72

$11.37 R 183

-57.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 MYR 122

$44.17 R 709

-31.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.57

$6.12 R 98.3

-20.92%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MYR 13.00

$2.13 R 34.16

51.17%

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

$0.87 MYR 3.50

$1.10 R 17.69

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$0.80 R 12.91

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.63

$2.84 R 45.69

53.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 MYR 24.38

$3.23 R 51.9

86.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 MYR 8.57

$1.22 R 19.56

73.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.35

$1.09 R 17.47

-0.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.54

$1.49 R 24.00

41.61%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.05

$2.81 R 45.09

-11.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.3

$9.08 R 146

72.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.03

$5.56 R 89.4

-10.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MYR 40.04

$8.62 R 138

14.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.57

$2.14 R 34.44

57.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.57

$1.59 R 25.62

17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.66

$1.68 R 26.95

42.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.71

$1.77 R 28.44

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.60

$1.77 R 28.50

-21.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.42 R 22.80

-2.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.77

$1.33 R 21.32

-11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MYR 2.89

$1.04 R 16.77

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MYR 17.75

$3.37 R 54.1

30.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.40 MYR 78.4

$4.83 R 77.5

301.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 MYR 14.37

$1.31 R 21.03

171.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 MYR 20.44

$1.81 R 29.05

179.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$1.18 R 18.99

-34.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 49.90

$36.87 R 592

-66.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.94

$2.17 R 34.93

-43.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.09

$0.49 R 7.81

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 MYR 20.35

$8.56 R 138

-41.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$1.41 R 22.68

-44.68%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.5K

$36.5K R 586.0K

14.92%

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

$34.7K MYR 140.3K

$34.5K R 553.8K

0.66%

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

$63.5 MYR 257

$125 R 2,013

-49.30%

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

$9.29 MYR 37.57

$35.65 R 573

-73.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.35 MYR 107

$46.87 R 753

-43.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.81 MYR 197

$32.16 R 517

51.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 MYR 31.23

$24.02 R 386

-67.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 MYR 22.17

$10.92 R 175

-49.82%

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

$302 MYR 1,222

$185 R 2,974

63.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K MYR 51.1K

$6,340 R 101.8K

99.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 MYR 296

$72.1 R 1,158

1.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.36 MYR 171

$38.23 R 614

10.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 MYR 364

$115 R 1,841

-21.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MYR 407

$99.9 R 1,604

0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 MYR 2,431

$633 R 10.2K

-5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,487

$429 R 6,896

-14.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MYR 4,994

$846 R 13.6K

46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,549

$704 R 11.3K

-10.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 MYR 16.6K

$799 R 12.8K

412.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,546 MYR 6,249

$545 R 8,755

183.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 MYR 6,366

$1,641 R 26.4K

-4.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

11.94

-64.82%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: August 30, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $601 in Kuala Lumpur versus $633 in Port Elizabeth. 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 4% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Kuala Lumpur vs $203 in Port Elizabeth – so Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Elizabeth is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,644 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,854 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Port Elizabeth – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. 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 Kuala Lumpur, where all-in costs run around $1,096, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,236. In Kuala Lumpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuala Lumpur – 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 Kuala Lumpur. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.