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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,113 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,813 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,156 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,513 in Windhoek, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur is about 5% cheaper than Windhoek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 21% lower, Windhoek 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 MYR 18.40

$10.61 NAD 178

-56.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.90 MYR 110

$38.94 NAD 653

-28.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 MYR 18.18

$5.24 NAD 87.9

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$3.14 MYR 12.39

$1.91 NAD 32.03

64.40%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.62

$0.91 NAD 15.31

1.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.09

$0.90 NAD 15.05

-41.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 MYR 16.26

$1.84 NAD 30.89

123.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MYR 22.79

$2.26 NAD 37.82

155.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 MYR 8.11

$1.45 NAD 24.26

41.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.15

$0.85 NAD 14.31

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.76

$1.61 NAD 26.96

6.21%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 8.96

$2.90 NAD 48.62

-21.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 MYR 56.6

$6.21 NAD 104

130.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 18.46

$5.32 NAD 89.3

-12.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 MYR 38.40

$6.60 NAD 111

47.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.70

$1.86 NAD 31.19

59.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.47

$1.92 NAD 32.21

-14.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.30

$1.68 NAD 28.20

55.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.74

$1.74 NAD 29.21

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$2.00 NAD 33.54

-38.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.81 NAD 30.30

-26.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.65

$1.93 NAD 32.33

-38.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.52

$1.14 NAD 19.04

-43.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.10

$2.81 NAD 47.12

54.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.33 MYR 76.4

$6.64 NAD 111

191.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.38

$1.39 NAD 23.33

143.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 17.38

$1.86 NAD 31.28

136.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.75 NAD 12.62

-4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.10

$40.91 NAD 686

-70.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.53

$0.75 NAD 12.64

53.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$0.72 NAD 12.04

56.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MYR 18.34

$11.68 NAD 196

-60.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$1.18 NAD 19.83

-57.63%

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

$40.3K MYR 159.2K

$21.3K NAD 357.4K

89.16%

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

$32.2K MYR 127.0K

$23.5K NAD 393.7K

36.93%

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

$63.7 MYR 252

$117 NAD 1,965

-45.64%

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

$11.44 MYR 45.19

$18.00 NAD 302

-36.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.19 MYR 99.5

$51.5 NAD 864

-51.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 MYR 184

$37.57 NAD 630

24.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.59 MYR 29.98

$13.44 NAD 225

-43.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.26 MYR 20.80

$5.20 NAD 87.2

1.15%

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

$266 MYR 1,049

$216 NAD 3,615

23.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,549 MYR 37.7K

$5,219 NAD 87.5K

82.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 244

$51.4 NAD 862

20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.70 MYR 145

$27.43 NAD 460

33.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 346

$89.0 NAD 1,492

-1.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 MYR 315

$80.7 NAD 1,354

-1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 MYR 2,223

$500 NAD 8,382

12.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,459

$387 NAD 6,493

-4.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 MYR 4,139

$1,287 NAD 21.6K

-18.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 MYR 2,469

$936 NAD 15.7K

-33.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,024 MYR 15.9K

$1,403 NAD 23.5K

186.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,144

$616 NAD 10.3K

152.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,594 MYR 6,296

$991 NAD 16.6K

60.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

11.69

-61.76%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: April 27, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $563 in Kuala Lumpur versus $500 in Windhoek. 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 61% 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 $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $39.00 in Windhoek. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Kuala Lumpur vs $197 in Windhoek – so Windhoek 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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Windhoek is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,588 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,670 in Windhoek. 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 36% cheaper in Windhoek – 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 $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $39.00 in Windhoek. 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 $1,059, than in Windhoek at $1,113. In Kuala Lumpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windhoek 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, Windhoek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.