Bangkok vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bangkok Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$994
$892
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2947
$2135
🏠 One person rent
$425
$450
🏘️ Family rent
$1110
$787
🍽️ Food expenses
$301
$295
🚐 Transport expenses
$165
$69.6
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$723
$1450
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
21 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
89
93
😀 Quality of life
74
76
🏙️ Population
5.68M
1.98M

The cost of living in Bangkok is 12% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 5738th and 6160th ($994 vs $892) 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 0.7 months in Bangkok compared to 1.6 months in Kuala Lumpur. Bangkok ranked 1st best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 1355th and 883rd 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
$4.03
$4.35
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$30.2
$27.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$6.1
$4.78
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.16
$4.99
☕ Cappuccino
$2.89
$3.17
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.63
$0.85
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$568
$495
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$292
$343
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1675
$1006
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$829
$604
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$63
$48.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$96.3
$75.4
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$14.8
$27.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.22%
4.53%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5850
$3145
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2650
$1425
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.22
$0.72
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$45.3
$12.4
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$11.9
$9.79
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.22
$0.51
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.99
$2.05
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.72
$1.02
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.63
$1.42
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.49
$2.5
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$22.8
$14.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.36
$5.14
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.6
$10.2
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.18
$2.94
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.7
$1.61
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.37
$2.88
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.19
$1.55
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.67
$1.18
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.44
$1.15
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.35
$0.46
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.27
$1.2
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$19.5
$17.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.88
$3.2
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.39
$4.31
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$2.56
$3.47
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.81
$3.34
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.98
$1.46
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.11
$2.21
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$53.9
$46.4
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.39
$4.89
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$40.8
$20
💇 Haircut, simple
$9.51
$6.4
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.4
$59.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$97.9
$80.1
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$662
$259
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$13758
$9485

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
$759
13 km or 8.4 mi Lat Luang
$787
14 km or 8.4 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$786
18 km or 11 mi Pak Kret
$739
28 km or 18 mi Rangsit
$613
39 km or 25 mi Tha Khlong
$664
50 km or 31 mi Nakhon Pathom
$564
86 km or 53 mi Laem Chabang
$769
87 km or 54 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$758
98 km or 61 mi Pattaya
$800
103 km or 64 mi Nong Prue
$773
145 km or 90 mi Hua Hin
$676
164 km or 102 mi Klaeng
$703
217 km or 135 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$564
222 km or 138 mi Nakhon Sawan
$674
254 km or 158 mi Myeik
$570
267 km or 166 mi Serei Saophoan
$633
270 km or 168 mi Ko Chang
$697
299 km or 186 mi Battambang
$533
342 km or 212 mi Phitsanulok
$559
364 km or 226 mi Siem Reap
$630
388 km or 241 mi Khon Kaen
$608
416 km or 258 mi Ko Tao
$806
434 km or 270 mi Mawlamyine
$564
452 km or 281 mi Ko Pha-ngan
$763
466 km or 290 mi Hpa-an
$612
473 km or 294 mi Udon Thani
$555
475 km or 295 mi Sihanoukville
$754
475 km or 295 mi Ko Samui
$745
496 km or 308 mi Ubon Ratchathani
$561
519 km or 323 mi Vientiane
$1168
529 km or 329 mi Surat Thani
$635
529 km or 329 mi Kampot
$582
536 km or 333 mi Phnom Penh
$819
542 km or 337 mi Phu Quoc
$529
569 km or 354 mi Kampong Cham
$514
578 km or 359 mi Yangon
$919
579 km or 360 mi Prey Veng
$711
584 km or 363 mi Chiang Mai
$742
587 km or 365 mi Bago
$783

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$738
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$732
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$687
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$571
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$617
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$729
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$630
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$699
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$673
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$752
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$585
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$670
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$518
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$750
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$538
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$759
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$745
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$579
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$504
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$671
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$544
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$590
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$518
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$669
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$709
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$637
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3168
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2852
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$624
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$517
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$519
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$604
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$503
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$523
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$549
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$563
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$594
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$490
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$561
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$742