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 $1,073 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,167 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,849 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,134 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,532 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur is about 8% 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 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 MYR 18.70

$8.89 R 146

-48.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 MYR 118

$44.06 R 724

-34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.54

$5.36 R 88.2

-11.01%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$2.14 R 35.22

39.72%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$1.14 R 18.70

-25.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$1.00 R 16.38

-47.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.30

$2.56 R 42.11

65.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.44

$3.02 R 49.69

89.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.13

$1.12 R 18.40

77.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.26

$0.95 R 15.67

9.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$1.50 R 24.63

12.00%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.94

$2.45 R 40.30

-11.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 60.3

$7.79 R 128

89.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.80

$4.74 R 78.0

-3.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 39.05

$8.03 R 132

18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$1.64 R 26.89

73.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$1.42 R 23.40

10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.82

$1.63 R 26.82

61.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.24

$1.63 R 26.72

-6.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.55 R 25.55

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$1.12 R 18.45

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.17 R 19.29

3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.01 R 16.57

-32.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.85

$2.95 R 48.41

47.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 MYR 76.7

$4.86 R 79.8

285.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$1.10 R 18.09

194.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 18.02

$1.72 R 28.20

155.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$1.13 R 18.61

-38.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.17

$34.27 R 563

-64.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$2.67 R 43.87

-56.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$0.45 R 7.42

155.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$7.95 R 131

-41.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$1.27 R 20.83

-62.99%

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

$40.7K MYR 166.6K

$23.9K R 393.4K

70.09%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.9K

$25.8K R 423.5K

26.00%

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

$64.5 MYR 264

$114 R 1,879

-43.55%

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

$11.31 MYR 46.29

$31.86 R 524

-64.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.58 MYR 105

$44.72 R 735

-42.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 MYR 192

$29.14 R 479

60.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 MYR 32.28

$21.28 R 350

-62.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.76

$9.73 R 160

-47.89%

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

$272 MYR 1,114

$168 R 2,763

61.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,520 MYR 39.0K

$4,835 R 79.5K

96.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 249

$67.2 R 1,105

-9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 MYR 153

$37.20 R 612

0.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MYR 357

$96.6 R 1,588

-9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$89.0 R 1,462

-11.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,352

$584 R 9,602

-1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MYR 1,487

$438 R 7,192

-16.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MYR 4,459

$1,097 R 18.0K

-0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,576

$870 R 14.3K

-27.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

$772 R 12.7K

441.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 MYR 6,003

$525 R 8,636

179.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,521 MYR 6,226

$1,623 R 26.7K

-6.24%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Kuala Lumpur versus $584 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 7% 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 $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries tell a different story – $265 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 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 $1,609 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,750 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 46% 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 $29.00 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 $1,073, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,167. 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.