Kuala Lumpur vs Medan - Cost of Living Comparison

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Livingcost

Kuala Lumpur Medan
🚶 Cost of living one person
$892
$519
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2135
$1426
🏠 One person rent
$450
$204
🏘️ Family rent
$787
$428
🍽️ Food expenses
$295
$191
🚐 Transport expenses
$69.6
$44.4
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1450
$315
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
16 km
12 km
🎓 Higher education
93
52
😀 Quality of life
76
43
🏙️ Population
1.98M
2.11M

The cost of living in Kuala Lumpur is 72% more expensive than in Medan. Cities ranked 6160th and 8536th ($892 vs $519) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 38th in Malaysia and Indonesia, respectively. Check Malaysia vs Indonesia comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.6 months in Kuala Lumpur compared to 0.6 months in Medan. Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st best city to live in Malaysia vs Medan ranked 14th in Indonesia, while ranked 883rd and 6659th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Kuala Lumpur vs Medan infographic

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Prices in Kuala Lumpur vs Medan

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

Kuala Lumpur Medan
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$4.35
$2.65
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$27.4
$11.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.78
$3.08
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$4.99
$3.02
☕ Cappuccino
$3.17
$1.84
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.85
$0.45
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$495
$190
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$343
$116
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1006
$456
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$604
$302
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$48.4
$42.9
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$75.4
$65
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$27.7
$29.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.53%
10.53%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3145
$1907
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1425
$661
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.72
$0.33
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$12.4
$9.09
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$9.79
$4.27
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.51
$0.84
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.05
$1.42
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.02
$1.26
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.42
$0.98
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.5
$1.61
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.7
$4.71
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.14
$3.09
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.2
$7.21
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.94
$2.88
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.61
$1.04
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.88
$1.55
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.55
$1.01
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.18
$0.8
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.15
$1.39
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.46
$0.25
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.2
$1.21
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$17.6
$19.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.2
$1.31
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.31
$2.1
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.47
$2.18
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.34
$2.62
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.46
$0.89
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.21
$0.83
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$46.4
$29.4
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.89
$3.4
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$20
$15.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$6.4
$2.98
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.8
$60.5
👟 Brand Sneakers
$80.1
$125
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$259
$85.2
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$9485
$11482

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

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

Cities near Medan

Distance City Cost of living
21 km or 13 mi Binjai
$503
67 km or 41 mi Tebing Tinggi
$504
90 km or 56 mi Pematangsiantar
$518
119 km or 74 mi Langsa
$490
148 km or 92 mi Tanjungbalai
$538
238 km or 148 mi Lhokseumawe
$461
264 km or 164 mi Teluk Intan
$673
264 km or 164 mi Taiping
$759
264 km or 164 mi Padangsidempuan
$624
268 km or 166 mi George Town
$669
269 km or 167 mi Butterworth
$671
286 km or 178 mi Ipoh
$670
298 km or 185 mi Sungai Petani
$637
307 km or 191 mi Gunungsitoli
$613
317 km or 197 mi Klang
$729
322 km or 200 mi Ko Lipe
$742
324 km or 201 mi Langkawi
$594
325 km or 202 mi Shah Alam
$687
331 km or 206 mi Alor Setar
$523
332 km or 206 mi Subang Jaya
$732
332 km or 206 mi Petaling Jaya
$738
341 km or 212 mi Kuala Lumpur
$892
342 km or 212 mi Cyberjaya
$617
345 km or 215 mi Putrajaya
$571
352 km or 219 mi Kangar
$563
378 km or 235 mi Seremban
$630
381 km or 237 mi Dumai
$585
422 km or 262 mi Hat Yai
$561
426 km or 265 mi Banda Aceh
$421
431 km or 268 mi Malacca
$699
445 km or 277 mi Ko Lanta
$799
466 km or 289 mi Pekanbaru
$590
468 km or 291 mi Muar
$752
470 km or 292 mi Phuket
$985
483 km or 300 mi Kota Bharu
$517
487 km or 303 mi Ao Nang
$822
489 km or 304 mi Krabi
$807
515 km or 320 mi Batu Pahat
$750
518 km or 322 mi Kuantan
$518
529 km or 329 mi Kuala Terengganu
$544