Bangkok vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bangkok Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$941
$810
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2857
$1984
🏠 One person rent
$416
$393
🏘️ Family rent
$1154
$711
🍽️ Food expenses
$276
$278
🚐 Transport expenses
$148
$64.8
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$753
$1392
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
21 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
89
93
😀 Quality of life
74
77
🏙️ Population
5.68M
1.98M

The cost of living in Bangkok is 16% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 5822nd and 6403rd ($941 vs $810) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 1st in Thailand and Malaysia, respectively. Check Thailand vs Malaysia comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.8 months in Bangkok compared to 1.7 months in Kuala Lumpur. Bangkok ranked 1st best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 1221st and 811th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Bangkok vs Kuala Lumpur infographic

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Prices in Bangkok vs Kuala Lumpur

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

Bangkok Kuala Lumpur
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$2.97
$4.17
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$29.9
$25.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.91
$4.54
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.69
$4.64
☕ Cappuccino
$2.5
$2.93
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.61
$0.82
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$576
$450
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$291
$297
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1879
$928
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$853
$548
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$52.9
$40.3
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81
$61.8
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$14.7
$25.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.06%
4.59%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5781
$2996
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2619
$1427
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.18
$0.69
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$38.8
$11.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$10.5
$9.04
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.2
$0.49
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.93
$1.9
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.33
$0.95
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.42
$1.37
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.19
$2.32
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$19.3
$13.6
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.8
$4.64
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.99
$9
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.35
$2.81
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.73
$1.5
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.26
$2.58
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.98
$1.45
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.56
$1.1
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.39
$1.21
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.33
$0.43
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.3
$1.15
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$18
$16.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.81
$3.04
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.22
$4.05
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$2.46
$3.45
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.63
$3.64
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.93
$1.57
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.03
$2.19
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$49.7
$41.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.38
$4.82
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$40
$20
💇 Haircut, simple
$10.5
$5.65
👖 Brand Jeans
$53
$56.9
👟 Brand Sneakers
$102
$77.6
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$579
$254
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$13301
$8723

Cost of living in other countries

BangkokKuala Lumpur

Cost of living

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Bangkok

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 8.1 mi Nonthaburi
$717
13 km or 8.4 mi Lat Luang
$753
14 km or 8.4 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$748
18 km or 11 mi Pak Kret
$715
28 km or 18 mi Rangsit
$595
39 km or 25 mi Tha Khlong
$641
50 km or 31 mi Nakhon Pathom
$548
86 km or 53 mi Laem Chabang
$743
87 km or 54 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$739
98 km or 61 mi Pattaya
$781
103 km or 64 mi Nong Prue
$752
145 km or 90 mi Hua Hin
$656
164 km or 102 mi Klaeng
$685
217 km or 135 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$588
222 km or 138 mi Nakhon Sawan
$654
254 km or 158 mi Myeik
$576
267 km or 166 mi Serei Saophoan
$639
270 km or 168 mi Ko Chang
$677
299 km or 186 mi Battambang
$573
342 km or 212 mi Phitsanulok
$537
364 km or 226 mi Siem Reap
$644
388 km or 241 mi Khon Kaen
$568
416 km or 258 mi Ko Tao
$777
434 km or 270 mi Mawlamyine
$569
452 km or 281 mi Ko Pha-ngan
$730
466 km or 290 mi Hpa-an
$610
473 km or 294 mi Udon Thani
$543
475 km or 295 mi Sihanoukville
$755
475 km or 295 mi Ko Samui
$705
496 km or 308 mi Ubon Ratchathani
$545
519 km or 323 mi Vientiane
$1163
529 km or 329 mi Surat Thani
$563
529 km or 329 mi Kampot
$596
536 km or 333 mi Phnom Penh
$836
542 km or 337 mi Phu Quoc
$519
569 km or 354 mi Kampong Cham
$513
578 km or 359 mi Yangon
$705
579 km or 360 mi Prey Veng
$721
584 km or 363 mi Chiang Mai
$691
587 km or 365 mi Bago
$650

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$701
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$714
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$645
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$532
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$585
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$670
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$604
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$669
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$631
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$682
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$543
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$628
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$529
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$703
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$503
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$695
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$679
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$565
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$474
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$619
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$501
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$542
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$486
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$620
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$759
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$605
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3059
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2788
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$582
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$485
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$481
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$539
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$470
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$490
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$506
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$536
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$560
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$461
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$570
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$719