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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $996 in Samsun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,500 in Samsun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,134 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,004 in Samsun, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 8% more than Samsun, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Samsun are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Samsun 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 MYR 18.69

$7.52 ₺355

-39.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 MYR 118

$25.50 ₺1,202

12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.53

$8.68 ₺409

-45.05%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$2.82 ₺133

6.03%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$1.29 ₺61.0

-34.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$0.24 ₺11.22

120.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.29

$2.94 ₺139

43.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.42

$3.02 ₺142

89.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.12

$1.05 ₺49.74

89.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$0.40 ₺18.76

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$3.88 ₺183

-56.70%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.93

$1.66 ₺78.1

31.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 60.3

$8.70 ₺410

69.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$10.17 ₺480

-54.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 39.03

$18.86 ₺889

-49.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$1.29 ₺60.9

120.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$1.15 ₺54.4

36.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.81

$0.88 ₺41.33

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.23

$1.30 ₺61.3

16.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$0.65 ₺30.55

90.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$0.65 ₺30.84

109.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.78 ₺36.78

55.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.71 ₺33.69

-4.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.84

$2.11 ₺99.6

106.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 MYR 76.7

$9.34 ₺440

100.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$2.04 ₺96.4

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 18.01

$2.46 ₺116

78.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.59 ₺27.97

18.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.14

$9.63 ₺454

24.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$2.30 ₺108

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$0.64 ₺30.23

79.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MYR 19.14

$4.44 ₺209

5.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$1.11 ₺52.4

-57.66%

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

$40.7K MYR 166.5K

$43.7K ₺2.1M

-6.86%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.8K

$48.6K ₺2.3M

-33.20%

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

$64.5 MYR 264

$49.85 ₺2,351

29.41%

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

$11.31 MYR 46.27

$10.88 ₺513

3.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.58 MYR 105

$11.64 ₺549

119.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 MYR 192

$83.1 ₺3,918

-43.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 MYR 32.26

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.75

$5.64 ₺266

-10.11%

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

$272 MYR 1,113

$501 ₺23.6K

-45.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,520 MYR 38.9K

$3,757 ₺177.2K

153.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 249

$38.41 ₺1,811

58.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 MYR 153

$45.16 ₺2,130

-17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MYR 356

$88.1 ₺4,157

-1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$44.77 ₺2,111

76.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,350

$499 ₺23.5K

15.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MYR 1,486

$327 ₺15.4K

11.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MYR 4,456

$729 ₺34.4K

49.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,575

$514 ₺24.2K

22.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

$751 ₺35.4K

456.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 MYR 6,000

$430 ₺20.3K

241.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,521 MYR 6,222

$969 ₺45.7K

57.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

43.33

-89.68%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 12, 2026

Last update for Samsun: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Kuala Lumpur versus $499 in Samsun. 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 57% 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 $25.00 in Samsun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $242 – making Samsun the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Samsun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,495 in Samsun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $25.00 in Samsun. 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 Samsun, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,073. In Samsun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samsun – 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 Samsun. 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.