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 $745 per month in Maracaibo vs $1,073 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,249 per month in Maracaibo vs $1,604 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Maracaibo vs $2,134 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Maracaibo is about 31% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maracaibo and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Maracaibo 44% lower, Kuala Lumpur 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 VES 7,737

$4.57 MYR 18.70

131.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.33 VES 29.5K

$28.76 MYR 118

40.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 VES 6,419

$4.77 MYR 19.54

84.28%

Cappuccino

$2.75 VES 2,013

$2.99 MYR 12.23

-8.03%

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

$1.15 VES 839

$0.85 MYR 3.48

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 950

$0.53 MYR 2.18

145.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 VES 1,604

$4.23 MYR 17.30

-47.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 VES 2,214

$5.73 MYR 23.44

-47.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 VES 1,259

$1.99 MYR 8.13

-13.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 VES 1,467

$1.04 MYR 4.26

93.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 VES 812

$1.68 MYR 6.86

-33.93%

Eggs

$3.04 VES 2,223

$2.18 MYR 8.94

39.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.90 VES 4,309

$14.74 MYR 60.3

-59.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 VES 3,851

$4.59 MYR 18.80

14.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 VES 4,629

$9.54 MYR 39.05

-33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 VES 3,147

$2.84 MYR 11.61

51.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 VES 1,001

$1.57 MYR 6.43

-12.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 VES 1,230

$2.64 MYR 10.82

-36.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 VES 1,078

$1.52 MYR 6.24

-2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 VES 856

$1.24 MYR 5.06

-5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 VES 1,234

$1.36 MYR 5.56

24.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 VES 722

$1.21 MYR 4.95

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 VES 1,194

$0.68 MYR 2.78

139.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 VES 2,513

$4.36 MYR 17.85

-21.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 VES 6,773

$18.75 MYR 76.7

-50.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 VES 779

$3.24 MYR 13.26

-66.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 VES 1,934

$4.40 MYR 18.02

-39.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 VES 356

$0.70 MYR 2.86

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.21 VES 30.8K

$12.01 MYR 49.17

251.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 VES 2,848

$1.15 MYR 4.72

239.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 VES 1,435

$1.15 MYR 4.72

70.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.73 VES 13.0K

$4.68 MYR 19.15

278.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 378

$0.47 MYR 1.94

10.64%

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

$22.8K VES 16.7M

$40.7K MYR 166.6K

-43.94%

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

$31.2K VES 22.8M

$32.5K MYR 132.9K

-3.85%

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

$16.36 VES 12.0K

$64.5 MYR 264

-74.64%

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

$8.61 VES 6,290

$11.31 MYR 46.29

-23.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.41 VES 18.6K

$25.58 MYR 105

-0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.13 VES 24.9K

$46.83 MYR 192

-27.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.62 VES 17.3K

$7.89 MYR 32.28

199.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 VES 3,628

$5.07 MYR 20.76

-1.97%

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

$111 VES 81.2K

$272 MYR 1,114

-59.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K VES 10.5M

$9,520 MYR 39.0K

50.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 VES 30.1K

$60.8 MYR 249

-32.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 VES 30.6K

$37.29 MYR 153

12.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 VES 42.9K

$87.2 MYR 357

-32.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 VES 43.5K

$79.0 MYR 323

-24.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 VES 131.9K

$575 MYR 2,352

-68.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 VES 74.7K

$363 MYR 1,487

-71.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 VES 238.9K

$1,089 MYR 4,459

-69.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 VES 155.3K

$630 MYR 2,576

-66.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$763 VES 557.8K

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

-81.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 VES 363.4K

$1,467 MYR 6,003

-66.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 VES 144.9K

$1,521 MYR 6,226

-86.96%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Maracaibo 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 667% 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 $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Maracaibo vs $265 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 44%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,118 per month in Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $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 Maracaibo, where all-in costs run around $745, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,073. 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.