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 $1,082 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $991 in Samsun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,632 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,509 in Samsun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,027 in Samsun, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 9% more than Samsun, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Samsun are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Samsun 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.06

$7.65 ₺351

-37.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 MYR 110

$25.10 ₺1,153

10.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.22

$8.99 ₺413

-46.05%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$2.81 ₺129

11.03%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$1.30 ₺59.9

-35.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.24 ₺10.97

108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$2.84 ₺130

51.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 23.65

$2.97 ₺136

101.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 7.90

$1.05 ₺48.41

89.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.01

$0.40 ₺18.32

152.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.77

$3.90 ₺179

-56.15%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.05

$1.71 ₺78.6

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 MYR 57.8

$9.10 ₺418

60.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 18.87

$10.02 ₺460

-52.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 37.66

$19.35 ₺889

-50.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$1.30 ₺59.6

127.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.49

$1.12 ₺51.3

46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.63

$0.92 ₺42.10

191.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.24 ₺57.1

22.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.89

$0.60 ₺27.70

105.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.32

$0.60 ₺27.77

123.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$0.73 ₺33.76

58.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.68 ₺31.29

-7.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$2.04 ₺93.9

111.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 76.5

$9.62 ₺442

100.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 MYR 13.05

$2.01 ₺92.5

63.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$2.50 ₺115

68.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.90

$0.59 ₺27.00

23.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 46.87

$9.66 ₺444

22.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$2.26 ₺104

-49.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$0.61 ₺27.90

80.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 MYR 18.99

$4.65 ₺214

3.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.89

$1.13 ₺51.8

-57.52%

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

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

$42.8K ₺2.0M

-7.04%

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

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

$49.6K ₺2.3M

-34.89%

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

$65.0 MYR 258

$49.83 ₺2,290

30.34%

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

$11.46 MYR 45.44

$10.99 ₺505

4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 101

$11.23 ₺516

126.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 MYR 186

$82.3 ₺3,780

-43.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 MYR 31.13

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.03

$5.75 ₺264

-12.17%

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

$268 MYR 1,064

$500 ₺23.0K

-46.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

$3,735 ₺171.6K

154.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 238

$37.79 ₺1,736

58.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.97 MYR 147

$45.67 ₺2,098

-19.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 MYR 343

$87.8 ₺4,033

-1.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 MYR 323

$45.24 ₺2,079

80.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 MYR 2,224

$500 ₺23.0K

12.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,465

$328 ₺15.1K

12.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 MYR 4,189

$724 ₺33.3K

45.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,563

$523 ₺24.0K

23.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

$795 ₺36.5K

432.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 MYR 6,044

$429 ₺19.7K

255.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 MYR 7,077

$1,006 ₺46.2K

77.37%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Samsun: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $561 in Kuala Lumpur versus $500 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 77% 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 $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $25.00 in Samsun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $244 – 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 9%, 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 $1,623 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,487 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 $28.00 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 $991, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,082. 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.