Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Johor Bahru is 10.9% lower than in Kuala Lumpur (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Johor Bahru is 11.5% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Rent Prices in Johor Bahru are 13.6% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Restaurant Prices in Johor Bahru are 12.8% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Groceries Prices in Johor Bahru are 4.7% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Johor Bahru is 13.1% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
Restaurants | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 18.00 RM | 15.00 RM | -16.7 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 120.00 RM | 80.00 RM | -33.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 20.00 RM | 20.00 RM | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 19.00 RM | 18.00 RM | -5.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 25.00 RM | 25.00 RM | 0.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 12.87 RM | 12.83 RM | -0.3 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 3.79 RM | 3.40 RM | -10.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.29 RM | 2.16 RM | -5.7 % |
Markets | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 32.51 RM | 30.22 RM | -7.1 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.91 RM | 3.75 RM | -4.1 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 3.15 RM | 2.44 RM | -22.6 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 9.42 RM | 7.86 RM | -16.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 28.10 RM | 28.10 RM | 0.0 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 8.85 RM | 8.85 RM | 0.0 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 17.81 RM | 17.81 RM | 0.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 5.66 RM | 5.66 RM | 0.0 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 3.06 RM | 2.86 RM | -6.5 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 5.12 RM | 5.12 RM | 0.0 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.79 RM | 2.79 RM | 0.0 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 2.24 RM | 2.24 RM | 0.0 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 2.57 RM | 2.57 RM | 0.0 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 5.06 RM | 5.06 RM | 0.0 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.77 RM | 2.28 RM | -17.5 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 75.00 RM | 60.00 RM | -20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 14.04 RM | 11.88 RM | -15.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 18.41 RM | 12.50 RM | -32.1 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 18.00 RM | 18.00 RM | 0.0 % |
Transportation | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 RM | 3.00 RM | 0.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 50.00 RM | 50.00 RM | 0.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 5.00 RM | 5.00 RM | 0.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 8.05 RM | 4.83 RM | -40.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 20.00 RM | 20.00 RM | 0.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 7.93 RM | 7.77 RM | -2.0 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 170,000.00 RM | 150,000.00 RM | -11.8 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 137,704.00 RM | 137,704.00 RM | 0.0 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 270.04 RM | 193.64 RM | -28.3 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 57.62 RM | 38.58 RM | -33.0 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 109.56 RM | 109.56 RM | 0.0 % |
Sports And Leisure | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 195.88 RM | 151.25 RM | -22.8 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 32.50 RM | 25.00 RM | -23.1 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 22.00 RM | 21.00 RM | -4.5 % |
Childcare | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,156.52 RM | 795.83 RM | -31.2 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 39,400.00 RM | 29,333.33 RM | -25.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 254.20 RM | 254.20 RM | 0.0 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 158.42 RM | 80.00 RM | -49.5 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 365.86 RM | 310.00 RM | -15.3 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 341.43 RM | 169.75 RM | -50.3 % |
Rent Per Month | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,332.59 RM | 1,938.67 RM | -16.9 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,514.81 RM | 1,633.33 RM | +7.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,550.00 RM | 3,300.00 RM | -27.5 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,705.41 RM | 2,725.00 RM | +0.7 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,175.30 RM | 733.50 RM | -37.6 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 586.36 RM | 476.98 RM | -18.7 % |
Salaries And Financing | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Johor Bahru Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,591.13 RM | 4,300.00 RM | -23.1 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.47 | 4.07 | -9.0 % |
| Last update: | 20 May 2025 | 14 May 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 262 | 38 |
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 Kuala Selangor | 41.00 miles |
| Cost of Living in Seremban | 42.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in Malacca | 88.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Tangkak | 100.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kampar | 104.64 miles |
| Cost of Living in Muar | 113.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bandar Penggaram | 148.06 miles |
Cities near Johor Bahru: | Cost of Living in Skudai (Sekudai) | 13.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bandar Penggaram | 76.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Mersing | 81.73 miles |
| Cost of Living in Muar | 110.97 miles |
| Cost of Living in Tangkak | 111.39 miles |
| Cost of Living in Malacca | 134.32 miles |
| Cost of Living in Seremban | 171.43 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kuantan | 204.98 miles |
| Cost of Living in Subang Jaya | 210.96 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kuala Lumpur | 211.00 miles |