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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $734 per month in Maracaibo vs $1,082 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,244 per month in Maracaibo vs $1,632 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Maracaibo vs $2,182 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Maracaibo is about 32% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Maracaibo and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Maracaibo 45% lower, Kuala Lumpur 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 VES 5,777

$4.81 MYR 19.06

115.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 VES 22.3K

$27.80 MYR 110

43.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 VES 4,915

$4.85 MYR 19.22

81.86%

Cappuccino

$2.65 VES 1,476

$3.12 MYR 12.37

-15.06%

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

$1.20 VES 671

$0.84 MYR 3.32

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 724

$0.50 MYR 1.97

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 VES 1,290

$4.31 MYR 17.09

-46.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 VES 1,643

$5.97 MYR 23.65

-50.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 VES 996

$1.99 MYR 7.90

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 VES 1,080

$1.01 MYR 4.01

92.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 VES 607

$1.71 MYR 6.77

-36.26%

Eggs

$3.19 VES 1,775

$2.28 MYR 9.05

39.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.95 VES 3,318

$14.58 MYR 57.8

-59.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 VES 3,003

$4.76 MYR 18.87

13.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.08 VES 3,386

$9.50 MYR 37.66

-36.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 VES 2,513

$2.96 MYR 11.75

52.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 VES 769

$1.64 MYR 6.49

-15.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 VES 954

$2.68 MYR 10.63

-36.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 VES 820

$1.52 MYR 6.04

-3.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 VES 649

$1.23 MYR 4.89

-5.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 VES 905

$1.34 MYR 5.32

20.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 VES 564

$1.16 MYR 4.61

-12.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 VES 889

$0.63 MYR 2.48

153.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 VES 1,914

$4.31 MYR 17.09

-20.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 VES 4,997

$19.29 MYR 76.5

-53.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 VES 591

$3.29 MYR 13.05

-67.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 VES 1,473

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-37.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 VES 287

$0.73 MYR 2.90

-30.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.83 VES 23.3K

$11.82 MYR 46.87

253.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 2,290

$1.15 MYR 4.56

257.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 VES 1,087

$1.10 MYR 4.38

77.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 VES 9,900

$4.79 MYR 18.99

270.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 269

$0.48 MYR 1.89

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

$22.2K VES 12.4M

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

-44.26%

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

$31.0K VES 17.3M

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

-3.97%

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

$16.22 VES 9,038

$65.0 MYR 258

-75.03%

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

$9.02 VES 5,028

$11.46 MYR 45.44

-21.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.85 VES 14.4K

$25.42 MYR 101

1.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 VES 19.1K

$46.84 MYR 186

-26.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 VES 13.1K

$7.85 MYR 31.13

198.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 VES 2,807

$5.05 MYR 20.03

-0.20%

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

$112 VES 62.5K

$268 MYR 1,064

-58.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K VES 7.8M

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

46.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.75 VES 23.3K

$59.9 MYR 238

-30.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 VES 23.5K

$36.97 MYR 147

14.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 VES 32.2K

$86.4 MYR 343

-33.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 VES 33.6K

$81.6 MYR 323

-26.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 VES 100.5K

$561 MYR 2,224

-67.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 VES 56.0K

$369 MYR 1,465

-72.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 VES 183.7K

$1,057 MYR 4,189

-68.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 VES 116.6K

$646 MYR 2,563

-67.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$759 VES 423.0K

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

-82.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 VES 279.5K

$1,524 MYR 6,044

-67.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 VES 109.5K

$1,785 MYR 7,077

-88.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.6

4.47

495.08%

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

Last update for Maracaibo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $180 in Maracaibo 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 809% 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 $40.00 in Maracaibo versus $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Maracaibo vs $267 in Kuala Lumpur – so Maracaibo 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

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

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,101 per month in Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $40.00 in Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,082. In Maracaibo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maracaibo – 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 Maracaibo. 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.