Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Kuala Lumpur

For one person, living is cheaper in Labuan: $1,020 a month against $1,086 in Kuala Lumpur, rent and utilities included – about $790 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Labuan
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Labuan Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Kuala Lumpur
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Kuala Lumpur Living Index

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Labuan

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,020

/mo nomad

Kuala Lumpur

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,086

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Labuan and in Kuala Lumpur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Labuan and in Kuala Lumpur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,020 per month in Labuan vs $1,086 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Labuan $1,020
Kuala Lumpur $1,086

A couple spends around $1,487 per month in Labuan vs $1,663 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Labuan $1,487
Kuala Lumpur $1,663

A family of three spends $1,953 per month in Labuan vs $2,239 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Labuan $1,953
Kuala Lumpur $2,239

Labuan is about 6% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Labuan and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Labuan 24% lower, Kuala Lumpur 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 MYR 22.53

$4.76 MYR 19.40

15.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.16 MYR 98.6

$29.15 MYR 119

-17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 MYR 27.19

$4.78 MYR 19.50

39.33%

Cappuccino

$3.93 MYR 16.05

$3.08 MYR 12.57

27.60%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.34

$0.84 MYR 3.42

26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.47 MYR 1.93

-4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 MYR 15.19

$4.49 MYR 18.31

-17.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.48

$5.97 MYR 24.35

-24.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.43

$2.04 MYR 8.31

-10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.26

$1.11 MYR 4.51

-6.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.07

$2.02 MYR 8.22

-26.24%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.58

$2.49 MYR 10.15

-15.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.82 MYR 68.6

$14.20 MYR 57.9

18.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 MYR 18.03

$4.44 MYR 18.11

-0.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 38.76

$9.85 MYR 40.19

-3.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MYR 12.95

$3.50 MYR 14.29

-9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.46

$1.82 MYR 7.44

0.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.75

$2.29 MYR 9.36

4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.17

$1.60 MYR 6.53

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$1.33 MYR 5.44

4.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.36 MYR 5.53

-24.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.18 MYR 4.83

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.20

$0.67 MYR 2.72

-19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 MYR 20.57

$4.52 MYR 18.46

11.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 MYR 66.5

$19.75 MYR 80.6

-17.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 MYR 13.11

$3.54 MYR 14.43

-9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.90

$4.93 MYR 20.12

-10.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$0.70 MYR 2.87

11.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.66 MYR 43.48

$12.45 MYR 50.8

-14.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MYR 5.47

$1.23 MYR 5.04

8.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$1.19 MYR 4.84

-59.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 MYR 26.43

$4.88 MYR 19.90

32.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.58

$0.88 MYR 3.59

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

$44.0K MYR 179.5K

$41.8K MYR 170.4K

5.32%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.7K

$34.9K MYR 142.4K

-6.81%

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

$48.90 MYR 199

$61.2 MYR 250

-20.06%

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

$9.68 MYR 39.49

$8.63 MYR 35.22

12.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.69 MYR 113

$26.31 MYR 107

5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.60 MYR 170

$49.33 MYR 201

-15.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 MYR 31.32

$7.47 MYR 30.46

2.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$4.95 MYR 20.17

-13.33%

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

$208 MYR 849

$302 MYR 1,234

-31.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,011 MYR 28.6K

$13.3K MYR 54.4K

-47.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 MYR 228

$71.6 MYR 292

-22.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 MYR 123

$41.57 MYR 170

-27.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 MYR 355

$84.5 MYR 345

2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 MYR 334

$97.4 MYR 397

-16.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 MYR 1,768

$610 MYR 2,490

-28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 MYR 1,397

$371 MYR 1,513

-7.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,614

$1,139 MYR 4,646

-43.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,892

$661 MYR 2,696

-29.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,282 MYR 9,308

$4,114 MYR 16.8K

-44.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 MYR 4,636

$1,500 MYR 6,120

-24.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$374 MYR 1,525

$1,494 MYR 6,093

-74.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.18

-2.87%

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

Last update for Labuan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Labuan

$342 33.6%

Kuala Lumpur

$371 34.1% 8.3% $28

Groceries & Markets

Labuan

$264 25.9%

Kuala Lumpur

$276 25.4% 4.5% $12

Eating Out

Labuan

$145 14.2%

Kuala Lumpur

$129 11.9% 11.1% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Labuan

$115 11.2%

Kuala Lumpur

$133 12.2% 15.9% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Labuan

$86 8.5%

Kuala Lumpur

$96 8.9% 11.4% $9.9

Sport & Entertainment

Labuan

$50 4.9%

Kuala Lumpur

$59 5.5% 18% $9

Getting Around

Labuan

$18 1.7%

Kuala Lumpur

$22 2.1% 28.1% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Labuan versus $610 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 300% 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: $264 vs $276 – making Labuan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Labuan

🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur

🕒 Local time

09:03 9:03 AM

Same time as Labuan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

95,120

1,982,112 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Labuan Kuala Lumpur 1,520 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Labuan
Kuala Lumpur

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,530 per month in Labuan and $1,629 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 4% 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 $1,020, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,086. 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.