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 $1,082 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,158 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,632 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,839 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,519 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur is about 7% cheaper than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Port Elizabeth 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.06

$9.00 R 146

-46.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 MYR 110

$44.72 R 727

-37.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.22

$5.30 R 86.2

-8.49%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$2.23 R 36.16

39.91%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$1.17 R 19.08

-28.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.04 R 16.83

-51.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$2.50 R 40.57

72.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 23.65

$2.95 R 47.99

102.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 7.90

$1.12 R 18.12

77.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.01

$0.93 R 15.13

8.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.77

$1.43 R 23.17

19.58%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.05

$2.49 R 40.42

-8.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 MYR 57.8

$7.86 R 128

85.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 18.87

$4.86 R 79.0

-2.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 37.66

$8.05 R 131

18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$1.68 R 27.26

76.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.49

$1.41 R 22.98

16.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.63

$1.59 R 25.81

68.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.62 R 26.34

-6.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.89

$1.50 R 24.31

-18.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.32

$1.11 R 18.10

20.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$1.19 R 19.37

-2.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.93 R 15.05

-32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$2.96 R 48.15

45.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 76.5

$5.00 R 81.2

285.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 MYR 13.05

$1.16 R 18.88

183.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$1.71 R 27.87

146.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.90

$1.09 R 17.79

-33.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 46.87

$34.50 R 561

-65.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$2.68 R 43.49

-57.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$0.44 R 7.22

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 MYR 18.99

$8.04 R 131

-40.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.89

$1.29 R 20.92

-62.79%

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

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

$23.5K R 382.4K

69.23%

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

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

$25.5K R 413.8K

26.80%

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

$65.0 MYR 258

$118 R 1,913

-44.84%

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

$11.46 MYR 45.44

$32.46 R 527

-64.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 101

$44.22 R 719

-42.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 MYR 186

$28.98 R 471

61.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 MYR 31.13

$20.80 R 338

-62.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.03

$9.52 R 155

-46.95%

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

$268 MYR 1,064

$164 R 2,661

63.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

$4,714 R 76.6K

101.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 238

$66.6 R 1,083

-10.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.97 MYR 147

$37.40 R 608

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 MYR 343

$93.8 R 1,524

-7.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 MYR 323

$90.5 R 1,471

-9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 MYR 2,224

$587 R 9,532

-4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,465

$448 R 7,276

-17.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 MYR 4,189

$1,115 R 18.1K

-5.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,563

$871 R 14.2K

-25.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

$776 R 12.6K

445.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 MYR 6,044

$545 R 8,864

179.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 MYR 7,077

$1,620 R 26.3K

10.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

12.04

-62.87%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $561 in Kuala Lumpur versus $587 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 10% higher in Kuala Lumpur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $45.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Kuala Lumpur vs $181 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 7%, 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 $1,737 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 47% 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 $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $45.00 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 $1,082, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,158. 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.