Tokyo vs Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living
Tokyo (Japan) · Overall index 53.8 — Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) · Overall index 30.4
Summary
- Overall, Kuala Lumpur is 43% cheaper than Tokyo.
- Rent in Kuala Lumpur is 53% cheaper than in Tokyo.
- Dining out in Kuala Lumpur is 48% cheaper than in Tokyo.
| Item | Tokyo | Kuala Lumpur | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -53% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,307 | $632 | -52% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $782 | $376 | -52% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,737 | $1,249 | -54% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,558 | $701 | -55% |
| Groceries | -40% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.87 | $0.5 | -43% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.62 | $1.69 | -35% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.43 | $2.35 | -31% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.26 | $1.8 | -45% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.15 | $6.57 | -28% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.77 | $5.8 | -41% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.2 | $7.49 | -47% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.74 | $2.45 | -34% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.62 | $0.95 | -41% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3 | $2.07 | -31% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.44 | $2.46 | -45% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.3 | $1.31 | -43% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.06 | $1.14 | -45% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.69 | $1.1 | -35% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.8 | $0.9 | -50% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.4 | $6.65 | -42% |
| Transport | -47% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.65 | $0.78 | -53% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $75.4 | $39.3 | -48% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.32 | $1.38 | -41% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.23 | $0.65 | -47% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.58 | $0.3 | -48% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,186 | $9,592 | -47% |
| Dining out | -48% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.8 | $8.83 | -36% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $70.3 | $39.1 | -44% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.88 | $3.81 | -52% |
| Cappuccino | $3.87 | $1.75 | -55% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.65 | $0.85 | -48% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.95 | $2.76 | -44% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.82 | $2.57 | -56% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.35 | $0.7 | -48% |
| Telecom | -33% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $41.5 | $31.5 | -24% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $52.1 | $32.6 | -37% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.26 | $0.17 | -35% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.7 | $8.33 | -34% |
| Utilities & household | -40% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $126 | $76.2 | -40% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.15 | $0.1 | -33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.07 | $1.95 | -36% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.05 | $0.61 | -42% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $16.3 | $9.76 | -40% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $62.2 | $32.7 | -47% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.79 | $6.5 | -34% |
| Men's haircut | $23.3 | $13.5 | -42% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $18.8 | $9.73 | -48% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,434 | $876 | -39% |
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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