Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Kuala Lumpur is 3.0% lower than in Kota Kinabalu (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Kuala Lumpur is 9.2% higher than in Kota Kinabalu | |
| Rent Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 79.5% higher than in Kota Kinabalu | |
| Restaurant Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 4.2% higher than in Kota Kinabalu | |
| Groceries Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 15.9% lower than in Kota Kinabalu | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Kuala Lumpur is 164.6% higher than in Kota Kinabalu | |
Restaurants | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.00 RM | 19.79 RM | +31.9 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 150.00 RM | 140.54 RM | -6.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 19.50 RM | 20.00 RM | +2.6 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 15.00 RM | 16.00 RM | +6.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 22.50 RM | 25.00 RM | +11.1 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 11.80 RM | 12.95 RM | +9.7 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 5.57 RM | 3.49 RM | -37.3 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 4.47 RM | 2.15 RM | -51.9 % |
Markets | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 24.61 RM | 30.14 RM | +22.5 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 4.17 RM | 3.77 RM | -9.6 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.92 RM | 2.94 RM | +53.3 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 11.52 RM | 9.16 RM | -20.5 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 65.77 RM | 27.42 RM | -58.3 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 8.38 RM | 9.16 RM | +9.4 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 16.33 RM | 20.18 RM | +23.6 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 3.89 RM | 5.38 RM | +38.3 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 1.81 RM | 2.91 RM | +60.3 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 8.77 RM | 5.33 RM | -39.3 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.61 RM | 3.03 RM | +16.1 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.70 RM | 2.01 RM | +18.6 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 2.24 RM | 1.94 RM | -13.3 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 4.50 RM | 4.55 RM | +1.2 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.53 RM | 3.02 RM | +19.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 75.00 RM | 70.00 RM | -6.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 9.67 RM | 13.84 RM | +43.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 13.50 RM | 18.92 RM | +40.1 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 17.50 RM | 18.00 RM | +2.9 % |
Transportation | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 5.50 RM | 3.00 RM | -45.5 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 30.00 RM | 50.00 RM | +66.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 9.00 RM | 5.00 RM | -44.4 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 4.83 RM | 8.05 RM | +66.7 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 40.00 RM | 15.00 RM | -62.5 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 7.76 RM | 7.78 RM | +0.2 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 120,000.00 RM | 160,000.00 RM | +33.3 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 122,333.33 RM | 135,702.91 RM | +10.9 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 185.42 RM | 278.24 RM | +50.1 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 40.00 RM | 50.61 RM | +26.5 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 161.67 RM | 117.87 RM | -27.1 % |
Sports And Leisure | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 123.33 RM | 206.21 RM | +67.2 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 17.50 RM | 35.42 RM | +102.4 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 18.00 RM | 20.00 RM | +11.1 % |
Childcare | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 423.33 RM | 1,054.17 RM | +149.0 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 20,333.33 RM | 34,863.64 RM | +71.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 290.75 RM | 234.19 RM | -19.5 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 74.97 RM | 152.86 RM | +103.9 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 316.67 RM | 324.41 RM | +2.4 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 383.33 RM | 307.08 RM | -19.9 % |
Rent Per Month | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 1,683.33 RM | 2,374.00 RM | +41.0 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 766.67 RM | 1,607.69 RM | +109.7 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 2,437.50 RM | 4,641.38 RM | +90.4 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 1,408.33 RM | 2,678.85 RM | +90.2 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 561.64 RM | 1,096.24 RM | +95.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 389.41 RM | 535.66 RM | +37.6 % |
Salaries And Financing | Kota Kinabalu Edit |
Kuala Lumpur Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,116.67 RM | 6,113.35 RM | +188.8 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 3.30 | 4.28 | +29.8 % |
| Last update: | April 2024 | May 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 13 | 288 |
Cities near Kuala Lumpur: | Cost of Living in Petaling Jaya | 10.15 miles |
| Cost of Living in Subang Jaya | 14.23 miles |
| Cost of Living in Gombak | 17.86 miles |
| Cost of Living in Seremban | 42.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in Malacca | 88.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Muar | 113.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bandar Penggaram | 148.06 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kuantan | 155.63 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ipoh | 158.61 miles |
| Cost of Living in Selangor | 178.55 miles |