Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Abu Dhabi 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Consumer Prices in Abu Dhabi are 64.9% higher than in Kuala Lumpur (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Abu Dhabi are 108.0% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Rent Prices in Abu Dhabi are 240.6% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Restaurant Prices in Abu Dhabi are 139.7% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Groceries Prices in Abu Dhabi are 8.6% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Local Purchasing Power in Abu Dhabi is 39.3% higher than in Kuala Lumpur
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 19.79 RM
(15.33 AED)
51.65 RM
(40.00 AED)
     +161.0 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 142.28 RM
(110.19 AED)
322.80 RM
(250.00 AED)
     +126.9 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 20.00 RM
(15.49 AED)
45.19 RM
(35.00 AED)
     +126.0 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 15.50 RM
(12.00 AED)
60.04 RM
(46.50 AED)
     +287.4 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 25.00 RM
(19.36 AED)
54.23 RM
(42.00 AED)
     +116.9 %
Cappuccino (regular) 13.05 RM
(10.11 AED)
28.61 RM
(22.16 AED)
     +119.2 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 3.45 RM
(2.67 AED)
5.79 RM
(4.48 AED)
     +67.9 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.12 RM
(1.64 AED)
2.11 RM
(1.63 AED)
     -0.4 %
Markets
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 29.84 RM
(23.11 AED)
33.71 RM
(26.11 AED)
     +13.0 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.78 RM
(2.93 AED)
5.83 RM
(4.51 AED)
     +54.3 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2.99 RM
(2.31 AED)
3.99 RM
(3.09 AED)
     +33.6 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 9.27 RM
(7.18 AED)
12.61 RM
(9.76 AED)
     +36.0 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 27.42 RM
(21.24 AED)
19.06 RM
(14.76 AED)
     -30.5 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 9.26 RM
(7.17 AED)
15.14 RM
(11.72 AED)
     +63.5 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 20.43 RM
(15.82 AED)
24.74 RM
(19.16 AED)
     +21.1 %
Apples (1 lb) 5.38 RM
(4.17 AED)
4.94 RM
(3.82 AED)
     -8.2 %
Banana (1 lb) 2.91 RM
(2.25 AED)
3.87 RM
(3.00 AED)
     +33.1 %
Oranges (1 lb) 5.33 RM
(4.13 AED)
4.02 RM
(3.12 AED)
     -24.5 %
Tomato (1 lb) 3.03 RM
(2.34 AED)
3.13 RM
(2.42 AED)
     +3.3 %
Potato (1 lb) 2.01 RM
(1.56 AED)
2.35 RM
(1.82 AED)
     +16.4 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.94 RM
(1.51 AED)
2.34 RM
(1.81 AED)
     +20.5 %
Lettuce (1 head) 4.55 RM
(3.53 AED)
6.70 RM
(5.19 AED)
     +47.2 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 3.02 RM
(2.34 AED)
2.49 RM
(1.93 AED)
     -17.6 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 70.00 RM
(54.21 AED)
64.56 RM
(50.00 AED)
     -7.8 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 13.84 RM
(10.72 AED)
9.79 RM
(7.58 AED)
     -29.3 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 18.92 RM
(14.65 AED)
11.97 RM
(9.27 AED)
     -36.7 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 18.00 RM
(13.94 AED)
29.05 RM
(22.50 AED)
     +61.4 %
Transportation
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 3.00 RM
(2.32 AED)
2.58 RM
(2.00 AED)
     -13.9 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 50.00 RM
(38.72 AED)
103.30 RM
(80.00 AED)
     +106.6 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 5.00 RM
(3.87 AED)
15.49 RM
(12.00 AED)
     +209.9 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 8.05 RM
(6.23 AED)
4.05 RM
(3.14 AED)
     -49.6 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 15.00 RM
(11.62 AED)
38.74 RM
(30.00 AED)
     +158.2 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 7.77 RM
(6.02 AED)
14.55 RM
(11.27 AED)
     +87.2 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 160,000.00 RM
(123,914.39 AED)
201,574.00 RM
(156,112.00 AED)
     +26.0 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 135,022.10 RM
(104,569.88 AED)
104,564.86 RM
(80,981.82 AED)
     -22.6 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 268.95 RM
(208.29 AED)
883.82 RM
(684.48 AED)
     +228.6 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 50.02 RM
(38.74 AED)
265.87 RM
(205.91 AED)
     +431.5 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 118.07 RM
(91.44 AED)
518.95 RM
(401.91 AED)
     +339.5 %
Sports And Leisure
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 206.21 RM
(159.71 AED)
380.51 RM
(294.69 AED)
     +84.5 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 35.42 RM
(27.43 AED)
174.72 RM
(135.31 AED)
     +393.3 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 20.00 RM
(15.49 AED)
64.56 RM
(50.00 AED)
     +222.8 %
Childcare
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 1,063.04 RM
(823.29 AED)
3,323.47 RM
(2,573.91 AED)
     +212.6 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 32,333.33 RM
(25,041.03 AED)
58,922.49 RM
(45,633.40 AED)
     +82.2 %
Clothing And Shoes
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 231.65 RM
(179.41 AED)
383.49 RM
(297.00 AED)
     +65.5 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 152.86 RM
(118.38 AED)
292.55 RM
(226.57 AED)
     +91.4 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 327.27 RM
(253.46 AED)
516.14 RM
(399.73 AED)
     +57.7 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 307.08 RM
(237.83 AED)
538.31 RM
(416.90 AED)
     +75.3 %
Rent Per Month
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,414.00 RM
(1,869.56 AED)
7,244.06 RM
(5,610.27 AED)
     +200.1 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,650.00 RM
(1,277.87 AED)
4,942.21 RM
(3,827.57 AED)
     +199.5 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 4,725.93 RM
(3,660.06 AED)
15,762.95 RM
(12,207.85 AED)
     +233.5 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,717.31 RM
(2,104.46 AED)
11,239.15 RM
(8,704.33 AED)
     +313.6 %
Buy Apartment Price
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 1,097.00 RM
(849.59 AED)
2,253.38 RM
(1,745.17 AED)
     +105.4 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 535.66 RM
(414.85 AED)
2,013.44 RM
(1,559.34 AED)
     +275.9 %
Salaries And Financing
Kuala Lumpur Edit Abu Dhabi Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 6,133.26 RM
(4,749.99 AED)
17,773.56 RM
(13,765.00 AED)
     +189.8 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 4.24 5.63      +32.7 %
Last update: May 2024May 2024
Contributors in the past 12 months:278209