Abu Dhabi vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Abu Dhabi Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1942
$866
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4262
$2078
🏠 One person rent
$1271
$415
🏘️ Family rent
$2152
$706
🍽️ Food expenses
$453
$295
🚐 Transport expenses
$77.2
$74
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$3050
$1175
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
11 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
53
93
😀 Quality of life
85
78
🏙️ Population
1.57M
1.98M

The cost of living in Abu Dhabi is 124% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 2187th and 6384th ($1942 vs $866) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 1st in the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, respectively. Check the United Arab Emirates vs Malaysia comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.6 months in Abu Dhabi compared to 1.4 months in Kuala Lumpur. Abu Dhabi ranked 3rd best city to live in the United Arab Emirates vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 443rd and 985th among best cities to live in the world.

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Prices in Abu Dhabi vs Kuala Lumpur

Prices for goods and services in Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Abu Dhabi Kuala Lumpur
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$10.9
$4.41
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$67.6
$26.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.53
$4.77
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$11.7
$4.73
☕ Cappuccino
$5.6
$3.11
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.34
$0.88
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1358
$522
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1002
$311
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2476
$927
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1762
$550
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$95.6
$36
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$146
$55.1
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$102
$25.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.01%
4.46%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5485
$3056
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$12028
$1519
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.68
$0.7
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$25.9
$16.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$8.63
$9.83
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.78
$0.53
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.97
$2.04
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.59
$1.01
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.37
$1.45
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.63
$2.47
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.8
$14
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.07
$4.97
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.4
$9.52
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.54
$3.13
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.79
$1.65
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.82
$2.66
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.49
$1.5
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.18
$1.27
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.44
$1.39
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.41
$0.46
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.41
$1.26
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$13.7
$17.5
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.54
$3.22
🚬 Cigarette pack
$6.29
$4.3
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.83
$3.73
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.95
$3.59
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$4.73
$1.76
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$5.92
$2.29
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$62.4
$46.7
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$13.5
$4.79
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$78.5
$21
💇 Haircut, simple
$16.9
$5.58
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.4
$62.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$94.3
$94.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$598
$267
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$12663
$9002

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Cities near Abu Dhabi

Distance City Cost of living
117 km or 73 mi Madinat Zayed
$1730
129 km or 80 mi Dubai
$2514
142 km or 88 mi Sharjah
$1419
143 km or 89 mi Al Ain
$1449
152 km or 94 mi Ajman
$2521
170 km or 105 mi Umm al-Quwain
$1183
211 km or 131 mi Fujairah
$1228
237 km or 147 mi Ras al-Khaimah
$1398
300 km or 187 mi Doha
$1849
318 km or 198 mi Al Khor
$1770
356 km or 221 mi Bandar Abbas
$632
365 km or 227 mi Nizwa
$792
395 km or 246 mi Seeb
$1078
425 km or 264 mi Riffa
$1201
427 km or 265 mi Manama
$1237
428 km or 266 mi Isa Town
$1230
439 km or 273 mi Muscat
$1081
454 km or 282 mi Jahrom
$530
468 km or 291 mi Dhahran
$908
481 km or 299 mi Dammam
$1008
486 km or 302 mi Al-Mubarraz
$806
501 km or 311 mi Fasa
$529
514 km or 320 mi Qatif
$873
548 km or 341 mi Jubail
$930
568 km or 353 mi Sirjan
$534
575 km or 357 mi Jiroft
$568
599 km or 372 mi Shiraz
$553
610 km or 379 mi Bushehr
$453
617 km or 384 mi Borazjan
$477
620 km or 385 mi Marvdasht
$530
632 km or 392 mi Kazerun
$503
637 km or 396 mi Chabahar
$573
649 km or 404 mi Bam
$557
678 km or 421 mi Rafsanjan
$604
698 km or 434 mi Kerman
$761
701 km or 435 mi Iranshahr
$624
741 km or 460 mi Yasuj
$463
775 km or 481 mi Riyadh
$1627
790 km or 491 mi Al Wafrah
$1283
792 km or 492 mi Behbahan
$483

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$731
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$789
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$681
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$584
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$609
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$704
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$643
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$689
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$654
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$771
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$519
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$657
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$552
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$788
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$488
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$552
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$771
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$598
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$461
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$701
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$534
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$503
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$472
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$754
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$789
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$653
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3201
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2909
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$563
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$517
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$466
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$542
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$460
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$509
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$502
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$570
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$592
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$449
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$592
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$756