Kuala Lumpur vs Seoul Cost of Living
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) · Overall index 30.4 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 75% more expensive than Kuala Lumpur.
- Rent in Seoul is 112% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur.
- Dining out in Seoul is 95% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur.
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +112% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $632 | $1,128 | +78% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $376 | $885 | +135% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,249 | $2,631 | +111% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $701 | $1,576 | +125% |
| Groceries | +66% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.5 | $0.97 | +94% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.69 | $3.03 | +79% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.35 | $3.33 | +42% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.8 | $3.32 | +84% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $6.57 | $9.47 | +44% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.8 | $8.39 | +45% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.49 | $14.8 | +98% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.45 | $4.15 | +69% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.95 | $1.53 | +61% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.07 | $3.36 | +62% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.46 | $3.73 | +52% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.31 | $2.22 | +69% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.14 | $1.86 | +63% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.1 | $1.71 | +55% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.9 | $1.67 | +86% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.65 | $11.7 | +76% |
| Transport | +95% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.78 | $1.68 | +115% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $39.3 | $68.9 | +75% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.38 | $2.76 | +100% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.65 | $1.34 | +106% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.3 | $0.53 | +77% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $9,592 | $18,844 | +96% |
| Dining out | +95% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.83 | $14.8 | +68% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $39.1 | $84.8 | +117% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.81 | $7.96 | +109% |
| Cappuccino | $1.75 | $3.11 | +78% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.85 | $1.89 | +122% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.76 | $4.53 | +64% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.57 | $5.53 | +115% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.7 | $1.43 | +104% |
| Telecom | +39% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $31.5 | $45.1 | +43% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $32.6 | $47.3 | +45% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.17 | $0.22 | +29% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.33 | $11.3 | +36% |
| Utilities & household | +67% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $76.2 | $130 | +71% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.1 | $0.16 | +60% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.95 | $3.13 | +61% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.61 | $1.03 | +69% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $9.76 | $15.9 | +63% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.7 | $60.9 | +86% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.5 | $9.46 | +46% |
| Men's haircut | $13.5 | $22.9 | +70% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.73 | $16.6 | +71% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $876 | $1,561 | +78% |
3,059 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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