Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Abu Dhabi 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Consumer Prices in Abu Dhabi are 70.3% higher than in Kuala Lumpur (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Abu Dhabi are 118.5% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Rent Prices in Abu Dhabi are 267.3% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Restaurant Prices in Abu Dhabi are 153.0% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Groceries Prices in Abu Dhabi are 9.7% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Local Purchasing Power in Abu Dhabi is 34.9% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 19.89 RM
(15.29 AED)
52.06 RM
(40.00 AED)
     +161.7 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 143.50 RM
(110.27 AED)
364.40 RM
(280.00 AED)
     +153.9 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 20.00 RM
(15.37 AED)
45.55 RM
(35.00 AED)
     +127.8 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 15.50 RM
(11.91 AED)
62.47 RM
(48.00 AED)
     +303.0 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 25.00 RM
(19.21 AED)
58.56 RM
(45.00 AED)
     +134.3 %
Cappuccino (regular) 12.80 RM
(9.83 AED)
28.39 RM
(21.82 AED)
     +121.9 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 3.53 RM
(2.72 AED)
5.88 RM
(4.52 AED)
     +66.3 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.17 RM
(1.67 AED)
2.30 RM
(1.76 AED)
     +5.8 %
Markets
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 30.19 RM
(23.20 AED)
34.54 RM
(26.54 AED)
     +14.4 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.78 RM
(2.90 AED)
5.91 RM
(4.54 AED)
     +56.3 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2.92 RM
(2.24 AED)
3.77 RM
(2.90 AED)
     +29.3 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 9.30 RM
(7.15 AED)
13.35 RM
(10.26 AED)
     +43.5 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 27.42 RM
(21.07 AED)
19.21 RM
(14.76 AED)
     -29.9 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 9.05 RM
(6.95 AED)
15.26 RM
(11.72 AED)
     +68.6 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 20.82 RM
(16.00 AED)
24.94 RM
(19.16 AED)
     +19.8 %
Apples (1 lb) 5.30 RM
(4.07 AED)
4.88 RM
(3.75 AED)
     -8.0 %
Banana (1 lb) 2.89 RM
(2.22 AED)
3.87 RM
(2.98 AED)
     +34.2 %
Oranges (1 lb) 5.33 RM
(4.10 AED)
4.05 RM
(3.12 AED)
     -23.9 %
Tomato (1 lb) 3.02 RM
(2.32 AED)
3.17 RM
(2.43 AED)
     +4.8 %
Potato (1 lb) 2.01 RM
(1.55 AED)
2.36 RM
(1.82 AED)
     +17.3 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.95 RM
(1.50 AED)
2.45 RM
(1.88 AED)
     +25.3 %
Lettuce (1 head) 4.55 RM
(3.50 AED)
6.68 RM
(5.14 AED)
     +46.8 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 3.00 RM
(2.31 AED)
2.58 RM
(1.98 AED)
     -14.0 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 70.00 RM
(53.79 AED)
65.07 RM
(50.00 AED)
     -7.0 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 13.84 RM
(10.63 AED)
10.61 RM
(8.15 AED)
     -23.3 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 18.92 RM
(14.53 AED)
12.85 RM
(9.88 AED)
     -32.1 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 18.00 RM
(13.83 AED)
28.96 RM
(22.25 AED)
     +60.9 %
Transportation
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 3.00 RM
(2.31 AED)
2.60 RM
(2.00 AED)
     -13.2 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 50.00 RM
(38.42 AED)
104.12 RM
(80.00 AED)
     +108.2 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 5.00 RM
(3.84 AED)
15.62 RM
(12.00 AED)
     +212.3 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 8.05 RM
(6.18 AED)
4.19 RM
(3.22 AED)
     -47.9 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 15.00 RM
(11.53 AED)
39.04 RM
(30.00 AED)
     +160.3 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 7.77 RM
(5.97 AED)
14.98 RM
(11.51 AED)
     +92.7 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 160,000.00 RM
(122,940.59 AED)
203,170.66 RM
(156,112.00 AED)
     +27.0 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 135,022.10 RM
(103,748.10 AED)
105,393.11 RM
(80,981.82 AED)
     -21.9 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 272.91 RM
(209.70 AED)
909.67 RM
(698.97 AED)
     +233.3 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 50.50 RM
(38.81 AED)
285.52 RM
(219.38 AED)
     +465.3 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 118.73 RM
(91.23 AED)
541.99 RM
(416.46 AED)
     +356.5 %
Sports And Leisure
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 207.80 RM
(159.67 AED)
401.08 RM
(308.18 AED)
     +93.0 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 35.42 RM
(27.21 AED)
183.35 RM
(140.88 AED)
     +417.7 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 20.00 RM
(15.37 AED)
65.07 RM
(50.00 AED)
     +225.4 %
Childcare
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 1,045.83 RM
(803.60 AED)
3,471.70 RM
(2,667.58 AED)
     +232.0 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 32,333.33 RM
(24,844.24 AED)
57,302.24 RM
(44,029.82 AED)
     +77.2 %
Clothing And Shoes
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 228.38 RM
(175.48 AED)
393.64 RM
(302.46 AED)
     +72.4 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 148.22 RM
(113.89 AED)
314.50 RM
(241.65 AED)
     +112.2 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 328.36 RM
(252.30 AED)
524.36 RM
(402.91 AED)
     +59.7 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 302.80 RM
(232.67 AED)
560.12 RM
(430.38 AED)
     +85.0 %
Rent Per Month
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,435.70 RM
(1,871.54 AED)
7,587.73 RM
(5,830.25 AED)
     +211.5 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,669.57 RM
(1,282.86 AED)
5,192.45 RM
(3,989.77 AED)
     +211.0 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 4,717.86 RM
(3,625.10 AED)
17,372.36 RM
(13,348.55 AED)
     +268.2 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,666.00 RM
(2,048.50 AED)
12,012.84 RM
(9,230.41 AED)
     +350.6 %
Buy Apartment Price
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 1,091.77 RM
(838.89 AED)
2,278.94 RM
(1,751.09 AED)
     +108.7 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 531.38 RM
(408.30 AED)
2,100.73 RM
(1,614.15 AED)
     +295.3 %
Salaries And Financing
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 5,960.00 RM
(4,579.54 AED)
17,574.07 RM
(13,503.54 AED)
     +194.9 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 4.21 5.75      +36.6 %
Last update: April 2024April 2024
Contributors in the past 12 months:287216