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 $1,236 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,096 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,700 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,563 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,303 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Port Elizabeth costs about 13% more than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Port Elizabeth and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 10% lower, Kuala Lumpur 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 R 183

$4.88 MYR 19.72

132.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 R 709

$30.14 MYR 122

46.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 R 98.3

$4.84 MYR 19.57

26.45%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 34.16

$3.22 MYR 13.00

-33.85%

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

$1.10 R 17.69

$0.87 MYR 3.50

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 12.91

$0.50 MYR 2.00

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 45.69

$4.36 MYR 17.63

-34.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 R 51.9

$6.03 MYR 24.38

-46.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 R 19.56

$2.12 MYR 8.57

-42.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.47

$1.08 MYR 4.35

0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.00

$2.11 MYR 8.54

-29.38%

Eggs

$2.81 R 45.09

$2.49 MYR 10.05

12.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 R 146

$15.64 MYR 63.3

-41.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 R 89.4

$4.95 MYR 20.03

12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 R 138

$9.90 MYR 40.04

-12.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R 34.44

$3.36 MYR 13.57

-36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.62

$1.87 MYR 7.57

-14.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R 26.95

$2.39 MYR 9.66

-29.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.44

$1.66 MYR 6.71

6.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.50

$1.39 MYR 5.60

27.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 22.80

$1.38 MYR 5.58

2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.32

$1.18 MYR 4.77

12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 R 16.77

$0.72 MYR 2.89

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 R 54.1

$4.39 MYR 17.75

-23.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.5

$19.40 MYR 78.4

-75.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.03

$3.56 MYR 14.37

-63.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 R 29.05

$5.06 MYR 20.44

-64.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 R 18.99

$0.77 MYR 3.11

53.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.87 R 592

$12.34 MYR 49.90

198.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 R 34.93

$1.22 MYR 4.94

77.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 R 7.81

$1.26 MYR 5.09

-61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 R 138

$5.03 MYR 20.35

70.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 R 22.68

$0.78 MYR 3.16

80.77%

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

$36.5K R 586.0K

$41.9K MYR 169.5K

-12.98%

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

$34.5K R 553.8K

$34.7K MYR 140.3K

-0.65%

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

$125 R 2,013

$63.5 MYR 257

97.24%

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

$35.65 R 573

$9.29 MYR 37.57

283.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.87 R 753

$26.35 MYR 107

77.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.16 R 517

$48.81 MYR 197

-34.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.02 R 386

$7.73 MYR 31.23

210.74%

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 R 175

$5.48 MYR 22.17

99.27%

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

$185 R 2,974

$302 MYR 1,222

-38.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,340 R 101.8K

$12.6K MYR 51.1K

-49.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 R 1,158

$73.2 MYR 296

-1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 R 614

$42.36 MYR 171

-9.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,841

$90.0 MYR 364

27.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 R 1,604

$101 MYR 407

-0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 R 10.2K

$601 MYR 2,431

5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 R 6,896

$368 MYR 1,487

16.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R 13.6K

$1,235 MYR 4,994

-31.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 R 11.3K

$630 MYR 2,549

11.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 R 12.8K

$4,098 MYR 16.6K

-80.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 R 8,755

$1,546 MYR 6,249

-64.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,641 R 26.4K

$1,575 MYR 6,366

4.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.94

4.2

184.29%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $633 in Port Elizabeth 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 4% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Port Elizabeth vs $285 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 13%, 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 $1,854 per month in Port Elizabeth 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 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 40% 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth 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 Kuala Lumpur, where all-in costs run around $1,096, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,236. 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.