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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $897 per month in Labuan vs $1,082 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Labuan vs $1,632 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Labuan vs $2,182 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Labuan is about 17% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Labuan and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Labuan 33% lower, Kuala Lumpur 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 MYR 20.43

$4.81 MYR 19.06

7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 MYR 92.1

$27.80 MYR 110

-16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 MYR 25.85

$4.85 MYR 19.22

34.43%

Cappuccino

$3.83 MYR 15.18

$3.12 MYR 12.37

22.76%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.22

$0.84 MYR 3.32

26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.30

$4.31 MYR 17.09

-16.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 MYR 19.77

$5.97 MYR 23.65

-16.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.59

$1.99 MYR 7.90

-16.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$1.01 MYR 4.01

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.71 MYR 6.77

-26.90%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.16

$2.28 MYR 9.05

-9.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 MYR 58.5

$14.58 MYR 57.8

1.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$4.76 MYR 18.87

-11.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 MYR 38.33

$9.50 MYR 37.66

1.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 MYR 11.30

$2.96 MYR 11.75

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.64 MYR 6.49

-7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.38

$2.68 MYR 10.63

-2.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.45

$1.52 MYR 6.04

-9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.93

$1.23 MYR 4.89

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.25

$1.34 MYR 5.32

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.10

$1.16 MYR 4.61

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.22

$4.31 MYR 17.09

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 MYR 75.1

$19.29 MYR 76.5

-1.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.15

$3.29 MYR 13.05

-14.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.57

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-30.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.73 MYR 2.90

-5.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.20

$11.82 MYR 46.87

0.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.15 MYR 4.56

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$1.10 MYR 4.38

-5.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.60

$4.79 MYR 18.99

24.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.48 MYR 1.89

4.17%

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

$34.8K MYR 138.1K

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

-12.56%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.3K

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

-1.32%

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

$43.79 MYR 174

$65.0 MYR 258

-32.58%

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

$9.31 MYR 36.93

$11.46 MYR 45.44

-18.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.94 MYR 115

$25.42 MYR 101

13.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 147

$46.84 MYR 186

-20.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.99

$7.85 MYR 31.13

-26.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 19.69

$5.05 MYR 20.03

-1.58%

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

$190 MYR 753

$268 MYR 1,064

-29.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,898 MYR 27.4K

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

-27.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 245

$59.9 MYR 238

3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 MYR 110

$36.97 MYR 147

-24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 MYR 290

$86.4 MYR 343

-15.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 MYR 201

$81.6 MYR 323

-37.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,529

$561 MYR 2,224

-31.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,053

$369 MYR 1,465

-28.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,600

$1,057 MYR 4,189

-37.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,854

$646 MYR 2,563

-27.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 MYR 6,761

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

-59.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 MYR 3,532

$1,524 MYR 6,044

-41.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,514

$1,785 MYR 7,077

-78.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.47

-8.95%

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

Last update for Labuan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Labuan versus $561 in Kuala Lumpur. 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 368% 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 $23.00 in Labuan versus $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $267 – making Labuan 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

Labuan vs Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,345 per month in Labuan and $1,623 in Kuala Lumpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $23.00 in Labuan and $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. 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 Labuan, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,082. In Labuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Labuan – 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 Labuan. 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.