Kuala Lumpur vs Singapore Cost of Living
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) · Overall index 30.4 — Singapore (Singapore) · Overall index 78.2
Summary
- Overall, Singapore is 157% more expensive than Kuala Lumpur.
- Rent in Singapore is 381% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur.
- Transport in Singapore is 160% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur.
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Singapore | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +381% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $632 | $2,802 | +343% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $376 | $1,887 | +402% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,249 | $6,049 | +384% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $701 | $3,490 | +398% |
| Groceries | +116% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.5 | $1.1 | +120% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.69 | $3.89 | +130% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.35 | $4.33 | +84% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.8 | $3.94 | +119% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $6.57 | $12.9 | +96% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.8 | $12.2 | +110% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.49 | $19.3 | +158% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.45 | $4.93 | +101% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.95 | $1.96 | +106% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.07 | $4.02 | +94% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.46 | $5.53 | +125% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.31 | $2.84 | +117% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.14 | $2.66 | +133% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.1 | $2.3 | +109% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.9 | $2.14 | +138% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.65 | $14.8 | +123% |
| Transport | +160% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.78 | $2.23 | +186% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $39.3 | $99.1 | +152% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.38 | $3.23 | +134% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.65 | $1.75 | +169% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.3 | $0.78 | +160% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $9,592 | $24,838 | +159% |
| Dining out | +160% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.83 | $21.6 | +145% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $39.1 | $105 | +169% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.81 | $9.73 | +155% |
| Cappuccino | $1.75 | $4.28 | +145% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.85 | $2.2 | +159% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.76 | $6.69 | +142% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.57 | $7.94 | +209% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.7 | $1.82 | +160% |
| Telecom | +70% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $31.5 | $53.2 | +69% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $32.6 | $55.4 | +70% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.17 | $0.32 | +88% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.33 | $12.9 | +55% |
| Utilities & household | +117% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $76.2 | $158 | +107% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.1 | $0.22 | +120% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.95 | $4.04 | +107% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.61 | $1.24 | +103% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $9.76 | $19.2 | +97% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.7 | $80.6 | +146% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.5 | $14.4 | +122% |
| Men's haircut | $13.5 | $28.1 | +108% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.73 | $24.6 | +153% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $876 | $1,858 | +112% |
2,974 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs