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Compare cities › Fukuoka vs Kuala Lumpur
Fukuoka vs Kuala Lumpur cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
🇯🇵 Fukuoka
🇲🇾 Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is 39% cheaper than Fukuoka
Living on $2,426 a month in Fukuoka feels like about $1,704 in Kuala Lumpur — same standard of living, compared by feel rather than exchange rate.
Per day
$162 vs $84.7
Per month
$2,426 vs $1,704
Local meal
¥ 960 vs RM 12
$6.49 vs $2.79
Taxi 5 km
¥ 1,800 vs RM 13
$12.2 vs $3.02
At a glance
FoodKuala Lumpur 54% cheaper
Cafés & drinkssimilar
TransportKuala Lumpur 65% cheaper
StayKuala Lumpur 22% cheaper
FunKuala Lumpur 51% cheaper
- Where Kuala Lumpur is clearly cheaper: Taxi (75%↓), Massage (70%↓), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (70%↓)
Item by item
| Item | Fukuoka | Kuala Lumpur | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ¥ 960$6.49 | RM 12$2.79 | Kuala Lumpur −57% |
| Street food1 item | ¥ 430$2.91 | RM 5.4$1.26 | Kuala Lumpur −57% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ¥ 3,000$20.3 | RM 45$10.5 | Kuala Lumpur −48% |
| Coffeeone cup | ¥ 520$3.51 | RM 12$2.79 | Kuala Lumpur −21% |
| Beerone bottle | ¥ 550$3.72 | RM 18$4.19 | Fukuoka −11% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ¥ 1,400$9.46 | RM 47$10.9 | Fukuoka −13% |
| Bottled water | ¥ 120$0.81 | RM 2$0.47 | Kuala Lumpur −43% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ¥ 300$2.03 | RM 5$1.16 | Kuala Lumpur −43% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ¥ 1,800$12.2 | RM 13$3.02 | Kuala Lumpur −75% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ¥ 1,500$10.1 | RM 13$3.02 | Kuala Lumpur −70% |
| Transitone ride | ¥ 210$1.42 | RM 3$0.7 | Kuala Lumpur −51% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ¥ 4,400$29.7 | RM 43$10 | Kuala Lumpur −66% |
| Hotel night3-star | ¥ 12,000$81.1 | RM 220$51.2 | Kuala Lumpur −37% |
| Studio rent (month) | ¥ 81,000$547 | RM 2,200$512 | Kuala Lumpur −7% |
| Laundry | ¥ 740$5 | RM 8.5$1.98 | Kuala Lumpur −60% |
| SIM card1 week data | ¥ 3,000$20.3 | RM 30$6.98 | Kuala Lumpur −66% |
| Haircutcut | ¥ 3,100$20.9 | RM 27$6.28 | Kuala Lumpur −70% |
| Massage1 hour | ¥ 8,900$60.1 | RM 77$17.9 | Kuala Lumpur −70% |
| Half-day tourper person | ¥ 10,000$67.6 | RM 150$34.9 | Kuala Lumpur −48% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ¥ 1,800$12.2 | RM 34$7.91 | Kuala Lumpur −35% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Fukuoka or Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur is 39% cheaper than Fukuoka. Daily budget $162 vs $84.7; a month $2,426 vs $1,704.
How do monthly costs compare between Fukuoka and Kuala Lumpur?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Fukuoka is about $2,426 and Kuala Lumpur about $1,704 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.