Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in Kota Kinabalu are 3.1% higher than in Kuala Lumpur (without rent) | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Kota Kinabalu are 8.4% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Rent Prices in Kota Kinabalu are 44.3% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Restaurant Prices in Kota Kinabalu are 4.2% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Groceries Prices in Kota Kinabalu are 18.7% higher than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Kota Kinabalu is 61.0% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
Restaurants | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 19.84 RM | 15.00 RM | -24.4 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 142.40 RM | 150.00 RM | +5.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 20.00 RM | 19.50 RM | -2.5 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 15.50 RM | 15.00 RM | -3.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 25.00 RM | 22.50 RM | -10.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 12.97 RM | 11.80 RM | -9.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 3.45 RM | 5.59 RM | +62.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.14 RM | 4.49 RM | +109.6 % |
Markets | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 29.84 RM | 24.61 RM | -17.5 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.78 RM | 4.17 RM | +10.5 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.99 RM | 1.92 RM | -35.7 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 9.27 RM | 11.52 RM | +24.3 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 27.42 RM | 65.77 RM | +139.9 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 9.26 RM | 8.38 RM | -9.5 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 20.43 RM | 16.33 RM | -20.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 5.38 RM | 3.89 RM | -27.7 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 2.91 RM | 1.81 RM | -37.6 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 5.33 RM | 8.77 RM | +64.6 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 3.03 RM | 2.61 RM | -13.9 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 2.01 RM | 1.70 RM | -15.7 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.94 RM | 2.24 RM | +15.4 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 4.55 RM | 4.50 RM | -1.2 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 3.02 RM | 2.53 RM | -16.1 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 70.00 RM | 75.00 RM | +7.1 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 13.84 RM | 9.67 RM | -30.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 18.92 RM | 13.50 RM | -28.6 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 18.00 RM | 17.50 RM | -2.8 % |
Transportation | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 RM | 5.50 RM | +83.3 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 50.00 RM | 30.00 RM | -40.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 5.00 RM | 9.00 RM | +80.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 8.05 RM | 4.83 RM | -40.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 15.00 RM | 40.00 RM | +166.7 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 7.77 RM | 7.76 RM | -0.1 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 160,000.00 RM | 120,000.00 RM | -25.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 135,702.91 RM | 122,333.33 RM | -9.9 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 278.24 RM | 185.42 RM | -33.4 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 49.72 RM | 40.00 RM | -19.5 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 117.43 RM | 161.67 RM | +37.7 % |
Sports And Leisure | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 206.21 RM | 123.33 RM | -40.2 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 35.42 RM | 17.50 RM | -50.6 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 20.00 RM | 18.00 RM | -10.0 % |
Childcare | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,063.04 RM | 423.33 RM | -60.2 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 32,333.33 RM | 20,333.33 RM | -37.1 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 231.65 RM | 290.75 RM | +25.5 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 152.86 RM | 74.97 RM | -51.0 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 327.27 RM | 316.67 RM | -3.2 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 307.08 RM | 383.33 RM | +24.8 % |
Rent Per Month | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,389.58 RM | 1,683.33 RM | -29.6 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,624.00 RM | 766.67 RM | -52.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,646.43 RM | 2,437.50 RM | -47.5 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,666.00 RM | 1,408.33 RM | -47.2 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,097.08 RM | 561.64 RM | -48.8 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 535.66 RM | 389.41 RM | -27.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | Kuala Lumpur Edit |
Kota Kinabalu Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,929.86 RM | 2,116.67 RM | -64.3 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.24 | 3.30 | -22.2 % |
| Last update: | May 2024 | April 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 280 | 13 |
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 |