Kuala Lumpur vs New York City - Cost of Living Comparison

Kuala Lumpur New York City
🚶 Cost of living one person
$743
$3723
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1862
$8021
🏠 One person rent
$347
$2426
🏘️ Family rent
$643
$3744
🍽️ Food expenses
$257
$752
🚐 Transport expenses
$72.1
$347
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1339
$5796
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Good
✈️ Airport proximity
16 km
13 km
🎓 Higher education
92
100
😀 Quality of life
78
95
🏙️ Population
1.98M
8.8M

The cost of living in Kuala Lumpur is 80% less expensive than in New York City. Cities ranked 6420th and 3rd ($743 vs $3723) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 1st in Malaysia and the United States, respectively. Check Malaysia vs the United States comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.8 months in Kuala Lumpur compared to 1.6 months in New York City. Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st best city to live in Malaysia vs New York City ranked 2nd in the United States, while ranked 512th and 23rd among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Kuala Lumpur vs New York City infographic

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Prices in Kuala Lumpur vs New York City

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

Kuala Lumpur New York City
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$3.02
$20.7
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$21.9
$84.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.11
$10.9
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$4.31
$8.05
☕ Cappuccino
$2.97
$5.2
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.63
$2.76
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$404
$3237
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$253
$2007
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$835
$4220
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$491
$3341
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$37.6
$105
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$57.3
$160
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$25.7
$67.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
3.59%
5.68%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2288
$14208
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1246
$9347
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.7
$2.75
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$19.3
$129
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$8.82
$20.1
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.49
$1.2
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.67
$1.26
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$0.84
$4.16
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.13
$6.09
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2
$5.37
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.75
$16.2
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.85
$17.3
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10
$21.6
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.66
$5.52
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.56
$2.31
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.87
$5.2
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.49
$6.12
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.07
$3.98
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.92
$3.82
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.44
$1.63
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.19
$3.14
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$17.5
$18
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.68
$3.24
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.07
$15
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.82
$9.27
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.12
$6.98
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.75
$4.11
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.83
$2.01
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$37.3
$91
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.62
$18.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$15.8
$145
💇 Haircut, simple
$7.96
$24.9
👖 Brand Jeans
$47.5
$62.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$69.1
$94.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$257
$2250
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$8850
$25572

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
$667
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$675
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$675
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$522
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$533
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$624
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$559
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$589
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$599
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$606
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$491
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$573
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$572
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$633
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$487
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$1007
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$638
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$603
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$486
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$600
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$493
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$506
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$320
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$654
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$607
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$580
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3300
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2511
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$487
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$511
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$496
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$605
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$461
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$539
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$474
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$610
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$549
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$487
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$527
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$597

Cities near New York City

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.6 mi Astoria
$2139
11 km or 6.8 mi Hoboken
$3115
11 km or 7.1 mi Jersey
$2308
13 km or 8.3 mi Union
$2016
14 km or 8.8 mi West New York
$2208
14 km or 8.9 mi Bayonne
$2132
15 km or 9.6 mi North Bergen
$2012
17 km or 10 mi Secaucus
$2008
17 km or 11 mi Cliffside Park
$2017
18 km or 11 mi Kearny
$2023
20 km or 12 mi Valley Stream
$2020
20 km or 13 mi Fort Lee
$2611
20 km or 13 mi Lyndhurst
$2018
22 km or 14 mi Newark
$1921
23 km or 14 mi Elizabeth
$2027
23 km or 14 mi Belleville
$2025
25 km or 15 mi Hillside
$2008
25 km or 15 mi Long Beach
$2012
25 km or 15 mi Nutley
$2014
25 km or 16 mi East Orange
$1891
25 km or 16 mi Irvington
$2010
26 km or 16 mi Rockville Centre
$2011
26 km or 16 mi Linden
$2022
26 km or 16 mi Hackensack
$2006
26 km or 16 mi Bloomfield
$2093
26 km or 16 mi Teaneck
$1992
26 km or 16 mi Carteret
$2011
26 km or 16 mi Passaic
$2089
27 km or 17 mi Roselle
$2004
27 km or 17 mi Hempstead
$2889
28 km or 17 mi Union Township
$2023
28 km or 18 mi Clifton
$2509
28 km or 18 mi Maplewood
$2017
29 km or 18 mi Montclair
$2265
29 km or 18 mi Bergenfield
$2013
29 km or 18 mi Mount Vernon
$2146
30 km or 18 mi Rahway
$2020
30 km or 18 mi Uniondale
$2372
30 km or 18 mi West Orange
$2015
30 km or 18 mi New Rochelle
$2960