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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,057 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,055 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,623 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,657 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,190 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,258 in Szeged, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur and Szeged have comparable living costs — the differences are in the details.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Szeged are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 21% lower, Szeged 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 MYR 18.39

$7.82 Ft 2,432

-40.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.64 MYR 113

$45.23 Ft 14.1K

-36.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.92

$5.65 Ft 1,759

-15.22%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.27

$1.96 Ft 609

58.67%

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

$0.90 MYR 3.55

$1.36 Ft 423

-33.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.98 Ft 305

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 MYR 16.80

$2.33 Ft 724

82.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 MYR 23.00

$2.16 Ft 672

169.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 MYR 8.07

$1.11 Ft 344

83.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$1.53 Ft 477

-34.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.76

$1.85 Ft 575

-7.57%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 8.89

$2.95 Ft 919

-23.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.85 MYR 58.7

$7.82 Ft 2,435

89.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 MYR 18.10

$5.62 Ft 1,749

-18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 37.78

$10.94 Ft 3,403

-12.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 11.86

$1.92 Ft 598

56.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.15

$1.85 Ft 575

-15.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.69

$2.04 Ft 634

32.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.94

$2.81 Ft 875

-46.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$1.05 Ft 328

15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.55

$1.19 Ft 371

18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.65

$1.45 Ft 450

-18.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$0.48 Ft 149

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.25

$7.14 Ft 2,221

-42.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 MYR 74.0

$5.18 Ft 1,612

261.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.25

$1.00 Ft 312

235.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.34

$1.20 Ft 372

265.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.73

$1.56 Ft 486

-55.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 MYR 45.83

$27.50 Ft 8,555

-57.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.70

$2.78 Ft 864

-57.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.52

$1.27 Ft 396

-9.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MYR 18.79

$17.38 Ft 5,408

-72.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$1.75 Ft 544

-71.43%

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

$39.4K MYR 155.8K

$25.8K Ft 8.0M

52.64%

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

$32.0K MYR 126.5K

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

25.36%

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

$64.5 MYR 255

$106 Ft 33.0K

-39.13%

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

$11.67 MYR 46.09

$24.82 Ft 7,723

-52.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.55 MYR 101

$19.19 Ft 5,970

33.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.58 MYR 180

$40.56 Ft 12.6K

12.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.57 MYR 29.90

$20.08 Ft 6,249

-62.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MYR 20.27

$7.84 Ft 2,440

-34.57%

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

$266 MYR 1,051

$223 Ft 69.5K

19.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,264 MYR 36.6K

$6,248 Ft 1.9M

48.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 MYR 239

$88.1 Ft 27.4K

-31.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 MYR 146

$25.98 Ft 8,084

42.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 MYR 336

$85.8 Ft 26.7K

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 MYR 313

$106 Ft 33.1K

-25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 MYR 2,252

$432 Ft 134.5K

31.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MYR 1,440

$339 Ft 105.4K

7.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 MYR 4,262

$655 Ft 203.9K

64.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,554

$536 Ft 166.9K

20.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,015 MYR 15.9K

$3,360 Ft 1.0M

19.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,063

$2,468 Ft 767.9K

-37.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,557 MYR 6,151

$1,295 Ft 402.8K

20.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

5.85

-23.59%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: April 20, 2026

Last update for Szeged: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $570 in Kuala Lumpur versus $432 in Szeged. 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 20% higher in Kuala Lumpur. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Kuala Lumpur versus $45 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Kuala Lumpur vs $208 in Szeged – so Szeged 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 Szeged: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,585 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,583 in Szeged. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $45.00 in Szeged. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 137% less in Szeged. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szeged, where all-in costs run around $1,055, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,057. In Szeged it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szeged – 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 Szeged. 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.