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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,114 per month in Windhoek vs $1,048 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in Windhoek vs $1,583 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,499 per month in Windhoek vs $2,117 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Windhoek costs about 6% more than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Windhoek and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Windhoek 17% lower, Kuala Lumpur 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 NAD 173

$4.64 MYR 18.82

129.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.09 NAD 636

$28.84 MYR 117

35.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 NAD 85.7

$4.73 MYR 19.20

11.21%

Cappuccino

$1.88 NAD 30.57

$3.08 MYR 12.47

-38.96%

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

$0.96 NAD 15.66

$0.91 MYR 3.70

5.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 NAD 14.25

$0.53 MYR 2.16

66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 NAD 29.29

$4.18 MYR 16.94

-56.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NAD 37.25

$5.87 MYR 23.80

-60.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 NAD 23.63

$1.99 MYR 8.08

-27.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 NAD 14.32

$1.05 MYR 4.25

-16.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 NAD 26.03

$1.74 MYR 7.05

-8.05%

Eggs

$2.90 NAD 47.13

$2.16 MYR 8.75

34.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 NAD 102

$14.64 MYR 59.4

-57.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 NAD 83.3

$4.52 MYR 18.31

13.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 NAD 107

$9.83 MYR 39.85

-33.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 NAD 29.72

$2.86 MYR 11.59

-36.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NAD 32.29

$1.64 MYR 6.66

20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 NAD 26.66

$2.74 MYR 11.10

-40.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 NAD 28.59

$1.52 MYR 6.18

15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NAD 32.07

$1.28 MYR 5.19

53.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 NAD 29.54

$1.38 MYR 5.61

31.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 NAD 31.42

$1.16 MYR 4.71

66.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NAD 18.05

$0.64 MYR 2.59

73.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 NAD 46.67

$4.13 MYR 16.74

-30.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 NAD 113

$19.03 MYR 77.2

-63.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NAD 21.71

$3.36 MYR 13.62

-60.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 NAD 31.45

$4.28 MYR 17.34

-54.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NAD 12.03

$0.72 MYR 2.94

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.66 NAD 645

$11.80 MYR 47.85

236.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 NAD 12.09

$1.16 MYR 4.72

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NAD 11.85

$1.10 MYR 4.46

-33.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 NAD 187

$4.70 MYR 19.05

144.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 NAD 19.82

$0.51 MYR 2.08

139.22%

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

$21.2K NAD 344.7K

$40.4K MYR 163.8K

-47.57%

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

$24.3K NAD 395.9K

$32.8K MYR 133.0K

-25.82%

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

$116 NAD 1,892

$63.6 MYR 258

82.96%

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

$18.10 NAD 294

$11.50 MYR 46.62

57.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 NAD 815

$25.57 MYR 104

95.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.51 NAD 611

$45.64 MYR 185

-17.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.15 NAD 214

$7.61 MYR 30.87

72.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 NAD 86.6

$5.04 MYR 20.43

5.56%

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

$211 NAD 3,438

$263 MYR 1,067

-19.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,113 NAD 83.2K

$9,446 MYR 38.3K

-45.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 NAD 846

$61.3 MYR 249

-15.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.69 NAD 434

$37.36 MYR 152

-28.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 NAD 1,418

$84.8 MYR 344

2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 NAD 1,326

$80.2 MYR 325

1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 NAD 7,931

$579 MYR 2,347

-15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 NAD 6,291

$366 MYR 1,485

5.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 NAD 20.5K

$1,070 MYR 4,337

17.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 NAD 15.0K

$636 MYR 2,578

45.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 NAD 26.6K

$4,242 MYR 17.2K

-61.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$629 NAD 10.2K

$1,498 MYR 6,074

-58.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 NAD 16.4K

$1,727 MYR 7,004

-41.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

4.47

161.52%

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

Last update for Windhoek: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Windhoek versus $579 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 72% 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 $39.00 in Windhoek versus $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Windhoek vs $267 in Kuala Lumpur – so Windhoek 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

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

Yes – Windhoek is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,671 per month in Windhoek and $1,572 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 36% cheaper in Windhoek – 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 $39.00 in Windhoek 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 Kuala Lumpur, where all-in costs run around $1,048, than in Windhoek at $1,114. In Kuala Lumpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windhoek 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, Windhoek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.