✦ Compare
Ho Chi Minh City vs
Kuala Lumpur
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Kuala Lumpur, MY, you'd need
$85,292 / year
Kuala Lumpur, MY is 14% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Kuala Lumpur, MY vs Ho Chi Minh City, VN)
- Housing+18%
- Food & groceries+19%
- Transport+14%
- Utilities0%
- Healthcare+11%
- Goods & services+13%
Median 1-bed rent
$500 /mo
Ho Chi Minh City, VN overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$600 /mo
Kuala Lumpur, MY overview →
▤ Full comparison
| Ho Chi Minh City, VN | Kuala Lumpur, MY | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 45 | 51 |
| Housing | 38 | 45 |
| Food | 42 | 50 |
| Transport | 35 | 40 |
| Utilities | 55 | 55 |
| Healthcare | 45 | 50 |
| Goods & services | 55 | 62 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $500/mo | $600/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $320/mo | $380/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,000/mo | $1,200/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $3,500 | $2,400 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $2,217 | $1,949 |
| Inexpensive meal | $3 | $3 |
| Monthly transit pass | — | $22 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 35% | 30% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 8% |
| Corporate tax | 20% | 24% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $500/mo | $900/mo |
| Minimum wage | $200/mo | $350/mo |
| GDP per capita | $4,347 | $12,000 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.6% | 2% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | Moderate | High |
| Coworking spaces | 40 | 40 |
| Time zone | UTC+7 | UTC+8 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 60 | 62 |
| Healthcare index | 55 | 72 |
| Pollution index | 65 | 55 |
| Internet speed | 90 Mbps | 100 Mbps |
| Walkability | 40 | 45 |
| Public transport | 35 | 65 |
| Family-friendly | 55 | 62 |
| Tap water | Use caution | Use caution |
| Life expectancy | 75 yr | 76 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Moderate | Low |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +27 °C | +27 °C |
| July avg | +28 °C | +27 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 220 | 200 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,900 mm | 2,400 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 2 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Vietnam vs Malaysia. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Ho Chi Minh City to Kuala Lumpur: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Ho Chi Minh City to Kuala Lumpur, your cost of living will be roughly 14% more expensive. Kuala Lumpur’s cost-of-living index is 51 versus 45 for Ho Chi Minh City (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Ho Chi Minh City cheaper than Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur is about 14% more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City overall — its cost-of-living index is 51 versus 45 for Ho Chi Minh City.
How much do you need to earn in Kuala Lumpur to live like in Ho Chi Minh City?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Ho Chi Minh City is worth about $85,292 in Kuala Lumpur. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Ho Chi Minh City or Kuala Lumpur?
Malaysia has the lower top income-tax rate — 30% versus 35% in Vietnam.
◷ More comparisons from Ho Chi Minh City
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.