Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Kuala Lumpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,082 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,839 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,632 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,519 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,182 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Port Elizabeth costs about 7% more than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Port Elizabeth and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 14% lower, Kuala Lumpur 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 R 146

$4.81 MYR 19.06

87.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.72 R 727

$27.80 MYR 110

60.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 R 86.2

$4.85 MYR 19.22

9.28%

Cappuccino

$2.23 R 36.16

$3.12 MYR 12.37

-28.53%

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

$1.17 R 19.08

$0.84 MYR 3.32

39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R 16.83

$0.50 MYR 1.97

108.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 R 40.57

$4.31 MYR 17.09

-42.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R 47.99

$5.97 MYR 23.65

-50.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.12

$1.99 MYR 7.90

-43.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 R 15.13

$1.01 MYR 4.01

-7.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.17

$1.71 MYR 6.77

-16.37%

Eggs

$2.49 R 40.42

$2.28 MYR 9.05

9.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 128

$14.58 MYR 57.8

-46.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 R 79.0

$4.76 MYR 18.87

2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 R 131

$9.50 MYR 37.66

-15.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.26

$2.96 MYR 11.75

-43.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.98

$1.64 MYR 6.49

-14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.81

$2.68 MYR 10.63

-40.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.34

$1.52 MYR 6.04

6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.31

$1.23 MYR 4.89

21.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R 18.10

$1.34 MYR 5.32

-17.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 R 19.37

$1.16 MYR 4.61

2.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.05

$0.63 MYR 2.48

47.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 R 48.15

$4.31 MYR 17.09

-31.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 R 81.2

$19.29 MYR 76.5

-74.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.88

$3.29 MYR 13.05

-64.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 27.87

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-59.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 R 17.79

$0.73 MYR 2.90

49.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.50 R 561

$11.82 MYR 46.87

191.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 R 43.49

$1.15 MYR 4.56

133.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 R 7.22

$1.10 MYR 4.38

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 R 131

$4.79 MYR 18.99

67.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 20.92

$0.48 MYR 1.89

168.75%

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

$23.5K R 382.4K

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

-40.91%

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

$25.5K R 413.8K

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

-21.13%

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

$118 R 1,913

$65.0 MYR 258

81.28%

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

$32.46 R 527

$11.46 MYR 45.44

183.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.22 R 719

$25.42 MYR 101

73.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.98 R 471

$46.84 MYR 186

-38.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.80 R 338

$7.85 MYR 31.13

164.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 R 155

$5.05 MYR 20.03

88.51%

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

$164 R 2,661

$268 MYR 1,064

-38.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,714 R 76.6K

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

-50.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 R 1,083

$59.9 MYR 238

11.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.40 R 608

$36.97 MYR 147

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 R 1,524

$86.4 MYR 343

8.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 R 1,471

$81.6 MYR 323

10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 R 9,532

$561 MYR 2,224

4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 R 7,276

$369 MYR 1,465

21.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 R 18.1K

$1,057 MYR 4,189

5.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 R 14.2K

$646 MYR 2,563

34.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$776 R 12.6K

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

-81.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 R 8,864

$1,524 MYR 6,044

-64.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,620 R 26.3K

$1,785 MYR 7,077

-9.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

4.47

169.35%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $587 in Port Elizabeth 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 10% higher in Kuala Lumpur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Port Elizabeth vs $267 in Kuala Lumpur – so Port Elizabeth 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

Port Elizabeth vs Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Elizabeth is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,737 per month in Port Elizabeth 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 Kuala Lumpur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Port Elizabeth – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Port Elizabeth 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 Kuala Lumpur, where all-in costs run around $1,082, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,158. In Kuala Lumpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuala Lumpur – 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 Kuala Lumpur. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.