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 $1,106 per month in Windhoek vs $1,069 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,822 per month in Windhoek vs $1,594 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Windhoek vs $2,119 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Windhoek costs about 3% 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.61 NAD 177

$4.79 MYR 19.60

121.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.68 NAD 644

$28.03 MYR 115

38.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 NAD 89.2

$4.81 MYR 19.64

11.43%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NAD 30.68

$3.09 MYR 12.62

-40.45%

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

$0.93 NAD 15.45

$0.84 MYR 3.44

10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 NAD 15.72

$0.53 MYR 2.16

77.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 NAD 29.86

$4.36 MYR 17.82

-58.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 NAD 37.72

$5.91 MYR 24.16

-61.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 NAD 24.27

$1.98 MYR 8.09

-26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 NAD 14.29

$1.04 MYR 4.25

-17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 NAD 27.95

$1.67 MYR 6.84

0.60%

Eggs

$2.90 NAD 48.33

$2.27 MYR 9.29

27.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 NAD 107

$14.79 MYR 60.5

-56.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 NAD 89.8

$4.52 MYR 18.48

19.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 NAD 113

$9.47 MYR 38.70

-28.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 NAD 31.39

$2.83 MYR 11.59

-33.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NAD 32.91

$1.56 MYR 6.39

26.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 NAD 28.59

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-34.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 NAD 30.12

$1.48 MYR 6.04

22.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NAD 34.74

$1.28 MYR 5.22

63.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 NAD 29.42

$1.35 MYR 5.52

31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NAD 30.75

$1.16 MYR 4.76

59.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NAD 18.27

$0.68 MYR 2.76

61.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 NAD 46.12

$4.19 MYR 17.14

-33.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 NAD 113

$18.22 MYR 74.5

-62.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 NAD 22.49

$3.28 MYR 13.39

-58.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NAD 30.81

$4.34 MYR 17.74

-57.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NAD 12.25

$0.68 MYR 2.78

8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.82 NAD 680

$11.56 MYR 47.25

253.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 NAD 12.38

$1.15 MYR 4.68

-35.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NAD 12.15

$1.15 MYR 4.69

-36.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.48 NAD 191

$4.84 MYR 19.79

137.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 NAD 19.40

$0.51 MYR 2.08

127.45%

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

$21.5K NAD 358.8K

$40.7K MYR 166.4K

-47.09%

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

$24.3K NAD 405.7K

$32.3K MYR 132.1K

-24.69%

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

$116 NAD 1,934

$65.7 MYR 268

76.76%

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

$17.88 NAD 298

$11.50 MYR 46.99

55.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 NAD 834

$25.16 MYR 103

98.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.58 NAD 609

$45.39 MYR 186

-19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 NAD 218

$7.72 MYR 31.54

69.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 NAD 87.7

$5.10 MYR 20.86

3.33%

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

$217 NAD 3,607

$267 MYR 1,089

-18.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,159 NAD 85.9K

$9,341 MYR 38.2K

-44.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 NAD 859

$61.1 MYR 250

-15.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.68 NAD 444

$37.05 MYR 151

-27.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 NAD 1,488

$86.8 MYR 355

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 NAD 1,351

$80.3 MYR 328

1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 NAD 8,367

$579 MYR 2,366

-13.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 NAD 6,416

$373 MYR 1,524

3.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 NAD 20.9K

$1,049 MYR 4,286

19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 NAD 15.5K

$644 MYR 2,631

44.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,587 NAD 26.4K

$3,976 MYR 16.3K

-60.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$613 NAD 10.2K

$1,468 MYR 6,000

-58.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$993 NAD 16.5K

$1,589 MYR 6,493

-37.49%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $502 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 60% 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 $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Windhoek vs $264 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 3%, 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 $1,658 per month in Windhoek and $1,603 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 32% 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 $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 $1,069, than in Windhoek at $1,106. 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.