Malaysia
Malaysia's gleaming capital dominated by the Petronas Towers, offering incredible multicultural street food, modern malls, and a surprisingly affordable cosmopolitan lifestyle.
#192 of 250
68% below average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 453
Based on NYC = 100 index
Total does not include Housing & Utilities — no scraped prices there (N/A)
Kuala Lumpur is the 192. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 453 for one adult.
Most of that goes on basic grocery basket, which runs 12% above the median city and adds $ 18 a month: chicken breast (1kg) $ 8, pork (1kg) $ 13.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is healthcare, 71% below the median: doctor visit (15 min) $ 9, cold medicine (6 days) $ 2. You also get off lightly on transportation, restaurants.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
39 prices on this page come from live scrapers (10 sources, observed October 12, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/kuala-lumpur. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3BR Apartment (city-wide) | 611.72 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian property portals (per-listing) |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 8.14 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Pork (1kg) | 12.64 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Beef (1kg) | 12.88 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 17.59 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 26.92 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Milk (1 liter) | 2.04 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.60 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Cheese (1kg) | 11.81 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Butter (200g) | 3.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Eggs (12) | 2.32 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Bread (500g) | 0.91 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.31 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Rice (1kg) | 2.40 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Oats (500g) | 1.81 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.11 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 2.98 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 4.84 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Carrots (1kg) | 1.66 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Onions (1kg) | 1.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Garlic (1kg) | 2.85 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Apples (1kg) | 3.88 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Lentils (1kg) | 2.76 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 1.22 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 3.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Flour (1kg) | 3.98 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Sugar (1kg) | 0.72 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Coffee (250g) | 9.30 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.39 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 2.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asian supermarkets (storefront APIs) |
| Imported Beer (0.33L) | 10.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Pub & Bar Drinks Menus |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.14 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | National fuel price sources |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 44.78 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Gym Chains, Asia Entertainment Chains |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 2.30 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Online Pharmacies (API) |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 36.68 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 31.78 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 136.96 / pair | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Asia-Pacific & ME Local Fashion Stores, Nike.com (live) |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 53.75 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-12 | Asia-Pacific & ME Local Fashion Stores |
Cities where the money splits the same way
Morocco
Similar share of Restaurants & Basic Grocery Basket · compared on 5 of 8 categories
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Similar share of Transportation & Clothing · compared on 5 of 8 categories
Malaysia
Similar share of Basic Grocery Basket & Clothing · compared on 6 of 8 categories
Malaysia
Similar share of Basic Grocery Basket & Transportation · compared on 6 of 8 categories
Monthly average costs by category
N/A
$ 165
per month
$ 160
per month
$ 39
per month
N/A
$ 57
per month
$ 5
per month
$ 27
per month