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 $913 per month in Labuan vs $1,073 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Labuan vs $1,604 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,893 per month in Labuan vs $2,134 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Labuan is about 15% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Labuan and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Labuan 32% lower, Kuala Lumpur 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.41 MYR 22.14

$4.57 MYR 18.70

18.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.81 MYR 97.4

$28.76 MYR 118

-17.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 MYR 26.79

$4.77 MYR 19.54

37.32%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MYR 15.22

$2.99 MYR 12.23

24.41%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.35

$0.85 MYR 3.48

24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.53 MYR 2.18

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.35

$4.23 MYR 17.30

-17.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MYR 20.40

$5.73 MYR 23.44

-13.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.84

$1.99 MYR 8.13

-16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.14

$1.04 MYR 4.26

-2.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.24

$1.68 MYR 6.86

-23.81%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$2.18 MYR 8.94

-3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 MYR 61.1

$14.74 MYR 60.3

1.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 MYR 18.09

$4.59 MYR 18.80

-3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.53

$9.54 MYR 39.05

1.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 12.26

$2.84 MYR 11.61

5.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.25

$1.57 MYR 6.43

-2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.61

$2.64 MYR 10.82

-1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.52 MYR 6.24

-9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.24 MYR 5.06

-3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.23

$1.36 MYR 5.56

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$1.21 MYR 4.95

-14.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.11

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.54

$4.36 MYR 17.85

-1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 MYR 68.1

$18.75 MYR 76.7

-11.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MYR 11.68

$3.24 MYR 13.26

-12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.28

$4.40 MYR 18.02

-31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.70 MYR 2.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 48.13

$12.01 MYR 49.17

-2.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$1.15 MYR 4.72

-9.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 MYR 24.77

$4.68 MYR 19.15

29.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.47 MYR 1.94

-2.13%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$40.7K MYR 166.6K

-14.36%

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

$31.9K MYR 130.6K

$32.5K MYR 132.9K

-1.69%

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

$44.09 MYR 180

$64.5 MYR 264

-31.65%

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

$8.95 MYR 36.62

$11.31 MYR 46.29

-20.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.98 MYR 119

$25.58 MYR 105

13.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.71 MYR 150

$46.83 MYR 192

-21.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 23.72

$7.89 MYR 32.28

-26.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 20.10

$5.07 MYR 20.76

-3.16%

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

$191 MYR 783

$272 MYR 1,114

-29.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,796 MYR 27.8K

$9,520 MYR 39.0K

-28.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 245

$60.8 MYR 249

-1.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.52 MYR 113

$37.29 MYR 153

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 MYR 298

$87.2 MYR 357

-16.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MYR 211

$79.0 MYR 323

-34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,559

$575 MYR 2,352

-33.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,113

$363 MYR 1,487

-25.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,623

$1,089 MYR 4,459

-41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,918

$630 MYR 2,576

-25.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,970 MYR 8,063

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

-52.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,287 MYR 5,268

$1,467 MYR 6,003

-12.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$371 MYR 1,517

$1,521 MYR 6,226

-75.63%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Labuan versus $575 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 310% 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 $24.00 in Labuan versus $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $265 – 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 17%, 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 $1,370 per month in Labuan and $1,609 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 $24.00 in Labuan and $29.00 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 $913, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,073. 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.