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 $1,020 per month in Labuan vs $1,096 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,520 per month in Labuan vs $1,700 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,020 per month in Labuan vs $2,303 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Labuan is about 7% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Labuan and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Labuan 26% lower, Kuala Lumpur 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.73 MYR 23.15

$4.88 MYR 19.72

17.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.06 MYR 101

$30.14 MYR 122

-16.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 MYR 27.06

$4.84 MYR 19.57

38.22%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MYR 16.37

$3.22 MYR 13.00

25.78%

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

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$0.87 MYR 3.50

29.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.68

$0.50 MYR 2.00

-18.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 MYR 16.67

$4.36 MYR 17.63

-5.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 MYR 19.28

$6.03 MYR 24.38

-20.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$2.12 MYR 8.57

-13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.29

$1.08 MYR 4.35

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.92

$2.11 MYR 8.54

-30.81%

Eggs

$1.94 MYR 7.84

$2.49 MYR 10.05

-22.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 MYR 70.7

$15.64 MYR 63.3

11.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.27

$4.95 MYR 20.03

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.06

$9.90 MYR 40.04

-2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 MYR 13.52

$3.36 MYR 13.57

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.43

$1.87 MYR 7.57

-14.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.19

$2.39 MYR 9.66

5.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.96

$1.66 MYR 6.71

3.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.76

$1.39 MYR 5.60

2.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.39

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.18 MYR 4.77

1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$0.72 MYR 2.89

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 MYR 20.59

$4.39 MYR 17.75

15.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 MYR 72.4

$19.40 MYR 78.4

-7.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.86

$3.56 MYR 14.37

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 MYR 16.79

$5.06 MYR 20.44

-17.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$0.77 MYR 3.11

-15.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.40 MYR 46.08

$12.34 MYR 49.90

-7.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.89

$1.22 MYR 4.94

-0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$1.26 MYR 5.09

-60.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 MYR 31.27

$5.03 MYR 20.35

53.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$0.78 MYR 3.16

1.28%

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

$43.3K MYR 175.1K

$41.9K MYR 169.5K

3.29%

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

$33.1K MYR 133.9K

$34.7K MYR 140.3K

-4.55%

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

$49.44 MYR 200

$63.5 MYR 257

-22.17%

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

$10.25 MYR 41.43

$9.29 MYR 37.57

10.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.01 MYR 117

$26.35 MYR 107

10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.04 MYR 178

$48.81 MYR 197

-9.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 MYR 23.27

$7.73 MYR 31.23

-25.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 MYR 18.50

$5.48 MYR 22.17

-16.42%

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

$165 MYR 665

$302 MYR 1,222

-45.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,895 MYR 19.8K

$12.6K MYR 51.1K

-61.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 MYR 223

$73.2 MYR 296

-24.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 MYR 126

$42.36 MYR 171

-26.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 MYR 298

$90.0 MYR 364

-18.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.8 MYR 270

$101 MYR 407

-33.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,895

$601 MYR 2,431

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,329

$368 MYR 1,487

-10.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,611

$1,235 MYR 4,994

-47.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,869

$630 MYR 2,549

-26.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,199 MYR 8,892

$4,098 MYR 16.6K

-46.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 MYR 4,681

$1,546 MYR 6,249

-25.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$367 MYR 1,485

$1,575 MYR 6,366

-76.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

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

Last update for Labuan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $469 in Labuan versus $601 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 329% 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 $25.00 in Labuan versus $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $285 – 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 7%, 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 $1,530 per month in Labuan and $1,644 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 $25.00 in Labuan and $30.00 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 $1,096. 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.