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 $780 per month in Maracaibo vs $1,096 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,279 per month in Maracaibo vs $1,700 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,779 per month in Maracaibo vs $2,303 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Maracaibo is about 29% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Maracaibo and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Maracaibo 43% lower, Kuala Lumpur 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.68 VES 8,572

$4.88 MYR 19.72

118.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.21 VES 32.3K

$30.14 MYR 122

33.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 VES 7,283

$4.84 MYR 19.57

87.40%

Cappuccino

$2.65 VES 2,130

$3.22 MYR 13.00

-17.70%

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

$1.20 VES 961

$0.87 MYR 3.50

37.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 1,044

$0.50 MYR 2.00

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 VES 1,843

$4.36 MYR 17.63

-47.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 VES 2,421

$6.03 MYR 24.38

-49.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 VES 1,370

$2.12 MYR 8.57

-19.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 VES 1,694

$1.08 MYR 4.35

95.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 VES 827

$2.11 MYR 8.54

-51.18%

Eggs

$3.62 VES 2,907

$2.49 MYR 10.05

45.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 VES 5,228

$15.64 MYR 63.3

-58.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 VES 5,153

$4.95 MYR 20.03

29.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 VES 5,840

$9.90 MYR 40.04

-26.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 VES 3,739

$3.36 MYR 13.57

38.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 VES 1,118

$1.87 MYR 7.57

-25.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 VES 1,281

$2.39 MYR 9.66

-33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 VES 1,144

$1.66 MYR 6.71

-14.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 VES 946

$1.39 MYR 5.60

-15.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 VES 1,350

$1.38 MYR 5.58

21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 VES 818

$1.18 MYR 4.77

-13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 VES 1,654

$0.72 MYR 2.89

186.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 VES 2,387

$4.39 MYR 17.75

-32.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 VES 7,135

$19.40 MYR 78.4

-54.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 VES 838

$3.56 MYR 14.37

-70.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 VES 2,163

$5.06 MYR 20.44

-46.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 VES 370

$0.77 MYR 3.11

-40.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.28 VES 33.9K

$12.34 MYR 49.90

242.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 VES 3,130

$1.22 MYR 4.94

219.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 VES 1,632

$1.26 MYR 5.09

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.43 VES 14.0K

$5.03 MYR 20.35

246.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 VES 536

$0.78 MYR 3.16

-14.10%

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

$15.0K VES 12.0M

$41.9K MYR 169.5K

-64.21%

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

$28.5K VES 22.9M

$34.7K MYR 140.3K

-17.73%

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

$64.1 VES 51.5K

$63.5 MYR 257

0.91%

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

$7.37 VES 5,913

$9.29 MYR 37.57

-20.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.72 VES 19.8K

$26.35 MYR 107

-6.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.53 VES 26.9K

$48.81 MYR 197

-31.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.26 VES 22.7K

$7.73 MYR 31.23

265.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 VES 3,992

$5.48 MYR 22.17

-9.31%

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

$149 VES 119.4K

$302 MYR 1,222

-50.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,151 VES 5.7M

$12.6K MYR 51.1K

-43.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.55 VES 22.1K

$73.2 MYR 296

-62.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.66 VES 26.2K

$42.36 MYR 171

-22.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 VES 49.2K

$90.0 MYR 364

-31.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.7 VES 46.3K

$101 MYR 407

-42.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 VES 128.3K

$601 MYR 2,431

-73.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.5 VES 75.9K

$368 MYR 1,487

-74.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 VES 237.2K

$1,235 MYR 4,994

-76.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 VES 160.9K

$630 MYR 2,549

-68.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$752 VES 603.4K

$4,098 MYR 16.6K

-81.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 VES 393.9K

$1,546 MYR 6,249

-68.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 VES 159.2K

$1,575 MYR 6,366

-87.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

376.19%

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

Last update for Maracaibo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $160 in Maracaibo 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 694% 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 $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Maracaibo vs $285 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 41%, 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 $1,170 per month in Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $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 Maracaibo, where all-in costs run around $780, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,096. 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.