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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $991 per month in Samsun vs $1,082 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,509 per month in Samsun vs $1,632 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,027 per month in Samsun vs $2,182 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Samsun is about 8% cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Samsun and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Samsun 26% lower, Kuala Lumpur 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 ₺351

$4.81 MYR 19.06

59.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.10 ₺1,153

$27.80 MYR 110

-9.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 ₺413

$4.85 MYR 19.22

85.36%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ₺129

$3.12 MYR 12.37

-9.94%

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

$1.30 ₺59.9

$0.84 MYR 3.32

54.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₺10.97

$0.50 MYR 1.97

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ₺130

$4.31 MYR 17.09

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₺136

$5.97 MYR 23.65

-50.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₺48.41

$1.99 MYR 7.90

-47.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₺18.32

$1.01 MYR 4.01

-60.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 ₺179

$1.71 MYR 6.77

128.07%

Eggs

$1.71 ₺78.6

$2.28 MYR 9.05

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 ₺418

$14.58 MYR 57.8

-37.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 ₺460

$4.76 MYR 18.87

110.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.35 ₺889

$9.50 MYR 37.66

103.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₺59.6

$2.96 MYR 11.75

-56.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₺51.3

$1.64 MYR 6.49

-31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ₺42.10

$2.68 MYR 10.63

-65.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ₺57.1

$1.52 MYR 6.04

-18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ₺27.70

$1.23 MYR 4.89

-51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₺27.77

$1.34 MYR 5.32

-55.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₺33.76

$1.16 MYR 4.61

-37.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺31.29

$0.63 MYR 2.48

7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 ₺93.9

$4.31 MYR 17.09

-52.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 ₺442

$19.29 MYR 76.5

-50.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₺92.5

$3.29 MYR 13.05

-38.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₺115

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-40.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₺27.00

$0.73 MYR 2.90

-19.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.66 ₺444

$11.82 MYR 46.87

-18.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ₺104

$1.15 MYR 4.56

96.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₺27.90

$1.10 MYR 4.38

-44.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 ₺214

$4.79 MYR 18.99

-2.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₺51.8

$0.48 MYR 1.89

135.42%

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

$42.8K ₺2.0M

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

7.57%

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

$49.6K ₺2.3M

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

53.59%

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

$49.83 ₺2,290

$65.0 MYR 258

-23.28%

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

$10.99 ₺505

$11.46 MYR 45.44

-4.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.23 ₺516

$25.42 MYR 101

-55.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 ₺3,780

$46.84 MYR 186

75.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 MYR 31.13

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 ₺264

$5.05 MYR 20.03

13.86%

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

$500 ₺23.0K

$268 MYR 1,064

86.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,735 ₺171.6K

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

-60.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.79 ₺1,736

$59.9 MYR 238

-36.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.67 ₺2,098

$36.97 MYR 147

23.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 ₺4,033

$86.4 MYR 343

1.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.24 ₺2,079

$81.6 MYR 323

-44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₺23.0K

$561 MYR 2,224

-10.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ₺15.1K

$369 MYR 1,465

-11.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 ₺33.3K

$1,057 MYR 4,189

-31.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ₺24.0K

$646 MYR 2,563

-19.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$795 ₺36.5K

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

-81.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$429 ₺19.7K

$1,524 MYR 6,044

-71.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 ₺46.2K

$1,785 MYR 7,077

-43.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.33

4.47

869.35%

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

Last update for Samsun: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Samsun 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 77% 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 $25.00 in Samsun versus $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $267 – making Samsun the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Kuala Lumpur is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,487 per month in Samsun 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 Samsun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $25.00 in Samsun 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 Samsun, where all-in costs run around $991, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,082. In Samsun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samsun – 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 Samsun. 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.