Cost of living
Kuala Lumpur compared to Kota Kinabalu
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Overview comparison
Kuala LumpurKota Kinabalu
Consumer prices in Kuala Lumpur are roughly 40% higher than in Kota Kinabalu.
Cost of living
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Kota Kinabalu |
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| Total with rent one person | 868 | 608 |
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| Total with rent family | 2,188 | 1,670 |
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| Without rent one person | 432 | 342 |
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| Without rent one family | 1,306 | 1,213 |
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| Rent & Utilities person | 446.11 | 268.74 |
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| Rent & Utilities family | 782.67 | 493.03 |
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| Food person | 314 | 249 |
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| Food family | 803 | 758 |
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| Transport person | 70.96 | 60.99 |
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| Transport family | 162.48 | 147.25 |
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| Life expectancy | 84.93 years | 82.04 years |
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Eating Out
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Kota Kinabalu |
|---|
| Lunch Menu | 4.64 | 3.45 |
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| Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2 | 30.88 | 15.87 |
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| Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's | 5.85 | 4.88 |
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| Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz | 5.49 | 3.35 |
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| Cappuccino | 3.84 | 2.54 |
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| Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz | 1.03 | 0.68 |
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Rent & Utilities
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Kota Kinabalu |
|---|
| 1 bedroom apartment in city Center, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | 490.75 | 316.24 |
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| Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | 342.5 | 179.24 |
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| 3 bedroom apartment in city Center, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | 1,210.55 | 590.9 |
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| Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | 694.17 | 229.56 |
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| Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc. | 40.75 | 30.97 |
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| Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc. | 60.64 | 53.32 |
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| Internet plan, 25 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited | 22.9 | 27.64 |
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Transportation
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Kota Kinabalu |
|---|
| Local transport ticket | 3.75 | 3.09 |
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| Monthly ticket local transport | 2,577 | 1,394 |
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| Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi | 1,277 | 971 |
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| Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal | 0.62 | 1.47 |
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| Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years | 10.34% | 23.12% |
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| Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | 8.77 | 8.9 |
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| House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | 0.44 | 0.52 |
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Groceries
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Kota Kinabalu |
|---|
| Milk, 1 L or 1 qt | 2.27 | 2.05 |
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| Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb | 1.21 | 0.9 |
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| Eggs, x12 | 2.88 | 2.57 |
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| Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 14.19 | 12.17 |
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| Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 5.79 | 4.58 |
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| Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 8.53 | 7.04 |
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| Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | 1.52 | 1.19 |
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| Water, 1 L or 1 qt | 0.55 | 0.27 |
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Other
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Kota Kinabalu |
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| Gym Membership, 1 month | 44.79 | 30.08 |
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| Cinema Ticket, 1 person | 5.14 | 3.25 |
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| Doctors visit | 21.66 | 17.92 |
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| Haircut, simple | 6.59 | 7.24 |
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| Brand Jeans | 59.51 | 68.13 |
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| Brand Sneakers | 93.27 | 79.53 |
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| Daycare or Preschool, 1 month | 299.63 | 139.39 |
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| International Primary School, 1 year | 9,444 | 4,852 |
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