Bangkok vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bangkok Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$958
$866
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2465
$2078
🏠 One person rent
$424
$415
🏘️ Family rent
$741
$706
🍽️ Food expenses
$278
$295
🚐 Transport expenses
$152
$74
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$707
$1175
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
21 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
89
93
😀 Quality of life
75
78
🏙️ Population
5.68M
1.98M

The cost of living in Bangkok is 11% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 5912th and 6384th ($958 vs $866) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 1st in Thailand and Malaysia, respectively. Check Thailand vs Malaysia comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.7 months in Bangkok compared to 1.4 months in Kuala Lumpur. Bangkok ranked 1st best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 1890th and 985th 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
$3.1
$4.41
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$30.9
$26.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$6.12
$4.77
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.79
$4.73
☕ Cappuccino
$2.59
$3.11
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.77
$0.88
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$611
$522
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$285
$311
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1104
$927
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$519
$550
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$57.2
$36
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$87.6
$55.1
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$16.9
$25.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.78%
4.46%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5905
$3056
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2775
$1519
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.23
$0.7
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$36.5
$16.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$11.6
$9.83
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.24
$0.53
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.88
$2.04
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.45
$1.01
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.46
$1.45
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.31
$2.47
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$15.5
$14
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.07
$4.97
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.2
$9.52
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.45
$3.13
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.75
$1.65
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.26
$2.66
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.84
$1.5
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.58
$1.27
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.41
$1.39
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.36
$0.46
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.27
$1.26
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$16.9
$17.5
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.8
$3.22
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.39
$4.3
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$2.53
$3.73
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.19
$3.59
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.95
$1.76
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.97
$2.29
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$55.9
$46.7
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.03
$4.79
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$37.8
$21
💇 Haircut, simple
$8.83
$5.58
👖 Brand Jeans
$57.4
$62.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$103
$94.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$561
$267
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$13469
$9002

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Bangkok

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 8.1 mi Nonthaburi
$737
13 km or 8.4 mi Lat Luang
$774
14 km or 8.4 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$774
18 km or 11 mi Pak Kret
$736
28 km or 18 mi Rangsit
$635
39 km or 25 mi Tha Khlong
$675
50 km or 31 mi Nakhon Pathom
$623
86 km or 53 mi Laem Chabang
$779
87 km or 54 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$770
98 km or 61 mi Pattaya
$812
103 km or 64 mi Nong Prue
$787
145 km or 90 mi Hua Hin
$724
164 km or 102 mi Klaeng
$718
217 km or 135 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$588
222 km or 138 mi Nakhon Sawan
$680
254 km or 158 mi Myeik
$553
267 km or 166 mi Serei Saophoan
$623
270 km or 168 mi Ko Chang
$708
299 km or 186 mi Battambang
$571
342 km or 212 mi Phitsanulok
$558
364 km or 226 mi Siem Reap
$650
388 km or 241 mi Khon Kaen
$590
416 km or 258 mi Ko Tao
$812
434 km or 270 mi Mawlamyine
$567
452 km or 281 mi Ko Pha-ngan
$765
466 km or 290 mi Hpa-an
$581
473 km or 294 mi Udon Thani
$578
475 km or 295 mi Sihanoukville
$763
475 km or 295 mi Ko Samui
$741
496 km or 308 mi Ubon Ratchathani
$558
519 km or 323 mi Vientiane
$1152
529 km or 329 mi Surat Thani
$593
529 km or 329 mi Kampot
$622
536 km or 333 mi Phnom Penh
$829
542 km or 337 mi Phu Quoc
$511
569 km or 354 mi Kampong Cham
$504
578 km or 359 mi Yangon
$614
579 km or 360 mi Prey Veng
$727
584 km or 363 mi Chiang Mai
$727
587 km or 365 mi Bago
$571

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