Kuala Lumpur vs Tokyo Cost of Living
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) · Overall index 30.4 — Tokyo (Japan) · Overall index 53.8
Summary
- Overall, Tokyo is 77% more expensive than Kuala Lumpur.
- Rent in Tokyo is 114% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur.
- Dining out in Tokyo is 94% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur.
| Item | Kuala Lumpur | Tokyo | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +114% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $632 | $1,307 | +107% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $376 | $782 | +108% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,249 | $2,737 | +119% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $701 | $1,558 | +122% |
| Groceries | +67% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.5 | $0.87 | +74% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.69 | $2.62 | +55% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.35 | $3.43 | +46% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.8 | $3.26 | +81% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $6.57 | $9.15 | +39% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.8 | $9.77 | +68% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.49 | $14.2 | +90% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.45 | $3.74 | +53% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.95 | $1.62 | +71% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.07 | $3 | +45% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.46 | $4.44 | +80% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.31 | $2.3 | +76% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.14 | $2.06 | +81% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.1 | $1.69 | +54% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.9 | $1.8 | +100% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.65 | $11.4 | +71% |
| Transport | +90% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.78 | $1.65 | +112% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $39.3 | $75.4 | +92% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.38 | $2.32 | +68% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.65 | $1.23 | +89% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.3 | $0.58 | +93% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $9,592 | $18,186 | +90% |
| Dining out | +94% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.83 | $13.8 | +56% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $39.1 | $70.3 | +80% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.81 | $7.88 | +107% |
| Cappuccino | $1.75 | $3.87 | +121% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.85 | $1.65 | +94% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.76 | $4.95 | +79% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.57 | $5.82 | +126% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.7 | $1.35 | +93% |
| Telecom | +49% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $31.5 | $41.5 | +32% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $32.6 | $52.1 | +60% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.17 | $0.26 | +53% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.33 | $12.7 | +52% |
| Utilities & household | +68% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $76.2 | $126 | +65% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.1 | $0.15 | +50% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.95 | $3.07 | +57% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.61 | $1.05 | +72% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $9.76 | $16.3 | +67% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.7 | $62.2 | +90% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.5 | $9.79 | +51% |
| Men's haircut | $13.5 | $23.3 | +73% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.73 | $18.8 | +93% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $876 | $1,434 | +64% |
3,013 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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