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 $1,045 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,115 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,581 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,814 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,117 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,513 in Windhoek, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur is about 6% cheaper than Windhoek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 22% lower, Windhoek 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 MYR 19.58

$10.72 NAD 174

-55.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.89 MYR 113

$39.61 NAD 641

-29.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 MYR 19.19

$5.16 NAD 83.6

-8.53%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.19

$1.85 NAD 29.91

62.16%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.68

$0.92 NAD 14.83

-1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.15

$0.94 NAD 15.27

-43.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 MYR 16.83

$1.76 NAD 28.51

135.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 MYR 24.37

$2.19 NAD 35.43

173.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 8.06

$1.39 NAD 22.46

42.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.31

$0.81 NAD 13.08

30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.94

$1.65 NAD 26.78

3.64%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.98

$2.89 NAD 46.83

-23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.88 MYR 60.5

$6.42 NAD 104

131.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.67

$5.29 NAD 85.6

-13.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 MYR 38.29

$6.69 NAD 108

40.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.11

$1.81 NAD 29.31

64.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.62

$1.91 NAD 30.85

-14.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.67

$1.70 NAD 27.58

54.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.81 NAD 29.30

-16.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$2.06 NAD 33.41

-38.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.71

$1.80 NAD 29.14

-21.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.75

$1.87 NAD 30.35

-37.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.75

$1.14 NAD 18.39

-40.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.44

$2.86 NAD 46.32

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.96 MYR 77.1

$7.12 NAD 115

166.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 13.72

$1.38 NAD 22.40

144.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MYR 17.36

$1.90 NAD 30.72

124.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.70 NAD 11.26

-1.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.84

$39.99 NAD 647

-70.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$0.76 NAD 12.23

56.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$0.68 NAD 10.97

61.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 19.44

$11.88 NAD 192

-59.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$1.24 NAD 20.00

-58.87%

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

$40.8K MYR 165.9K

$21.5K NAD 347.5K

90.17%

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

$32.0K MYR 129.9K

$24.0K NAD 388.2K

33.27%

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

$65.2 MYR 265

$115 NAD 1,863

-43.34%

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

$11.50 MYR 46.74

$18.08 NAD 293

-36.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.84 MYR 105

$51.7 NAD 838

-50.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.90 MYR 187

$37.55 NAD 608

22.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 MYR 31.59

$13.14 NAD 213

-40.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 MYR 20.82

$5.15 NAD 83.4

-0.58%

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

$271 MYR 1,101

$215 NAD 3,478

26.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,415 MYR 38.3K

$5,123 NAD 82.9K

83.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 MYR 249

$50.4 NAD 816

21.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.70 MYR 149

$27.22 NAD 441

34.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 MYR 351

$88.8 NAD 1,437

-2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 MYR 330

$81.1 NAD 1,314

0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 MYR 2,303

$490 NAD 7,929

15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 MYR 1,528

$385 NAD 6,233

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MYR 4,345

$1,289 NAD 20.9K

-17.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,598

$952 NAD 15.4K

-32.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,065 MYR 16.5K

$1,618 NAD 26.2K

151.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 MYR 5,965

$618 NAD 9,999

137.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,691 MYR 6,873

$1,020 NAD 16.5K

65.82%

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $567 in Kuala Lumpur versus $490 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 66% 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 $40.00 in Windhoek. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Kuala Lumpur vs $198 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 7%, 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 $1,568 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,673 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 35% 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 $40.00 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 $1,045, than in Windhoek at $1,115. 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.