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 $1,120 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,294 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,685 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,023 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,251 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,753 in Szeged, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur is about 13% cheaper than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Szeged are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Szeged 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 MYR 20.62

$10.20 Ft 3,196

-50.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.14 MYR 119

$61.7 Ft 19.3K

-52.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.56

$9.32 Ft 2,919

-48.39%

Cappuccino

$3.17 MYR 12.89

$2.44 Ft 765

29.92%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.32

$1.58 Ft 496

-48.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.32 Ft 413

-65.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MYR 18.02

$2.25 Ft 705

96.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 MYR 24.40

$2.35 Ft 735

155.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 MYR 8.61

$1.22 Ft 382

73.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$1.49 Ft 466

-25.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.55

$2.74 Ft 857

-23.36%

Eggs

$2.49 MYR 10.12

$3.81 Ft 1,193

-34.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.53 MYR 63.2

$10.45 Ft 3,272

48.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 MYR 20.07

$6.93 Ft 2,171

-28.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 MYR 39.17

$16.39 Ft 5,135

-41.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 MYR 13.76

$2.41 Ft 756

40.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.61

$2.37 Ft 742

-21.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.71

$2.14 Ft 671

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.63

$3.54 Ft 1,108

-53.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.55

$1.09 Ft 343

24.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$1.19 Ft 372

21.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.63 Ft 510

-29.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.57 Ft 177

29.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.96

$8.16 Ft 2,556

-45.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 MYR 76.7

$5.04 Ft 1,578

273.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.42

$1.31 Ft 412

170.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.45

$2.07 Ft 649

143.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$1.81 Ft 566

-57.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.27 MYR 49.93

$31.30 Ft 9,806

-60.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$3.08 Ft 964

-60.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MYR 4.99

$1.72 Ft 538

-28.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 MYR 20.04

$18.92 Ft 5,925

-73.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.11

$1.94 Ft 609

-60.82%

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

$42.8K MYR 174.0K

$28.3K Ft 8.9M

51.32%

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

$35.4K MYR 144.0K

$39.4K Ft 12.3M

-10.08%

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

$63.5 MYR 258

$136 Ft 42.7K

-53.46%

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

$9.41 MYR 38.29

$23.24 Ft 7,280

-59.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.74 MYR 109

$20.60 Ft 6,453

29.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 MYR 205

$49.12 Ft 15.4K

2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.64 MYR 31.07

$31.29 Ft 9,803

-75.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 MYR 22.55

$8.55 Ft 2,679

-35.20%

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

$302 MYR 1,230

$259 Ft 81.3K

16.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K MYR 51.6K

$7,070 Ft 2.2M

79.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 299

$108 Ft 33.8K

-31.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.08 MYR 171

$35.02 Ft 11.0K

20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 MYR 361

$94.1 Ft 29.5K

-5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 MYR 395

$131 Ft 41.0K

-25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 MYR 2,470

$534 Ft 167.1K

13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 MYR 1,492

$387 Ft 121.3K

-5.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 MYR 4,933

$791 Ft 247.9K

53.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,612

$635 Ft 198.9K

1.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,079 MYR 16.6K

$3,277 Ft 1.0M

24.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,246

$2,403 Ft 752.7K

-36.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,493 MYR 6,075

$1,348 Ft 422.3K

10.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

6.67

-37.03%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: September 5, 2026

Last update for Szeged: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Kuala Lumpur versus $534 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 11% 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 $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $62.0 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Kuala Lumpur vs $261 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

Yes – Szeged is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,680 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,940 in Szeged. 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 8% cheaper in Szeged – 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 $62.0 in Szeged. 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 $1,120, than in Szeged at $1,294. In Kuala Lumpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szeged 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, Szeged makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.