The difference at a glance
- Kuala Lumpur has 5.0 fewer men per 100 women aged 20–39 than Johor Bahru.
- Monthly essentials cost 2.9% more in Kuala Lumpur than in Johor Bahru.
- A one-bed in the centre costs 16.6% more in Kuala Lumpur than in Johor Bahru.
- One average net salary stretches 0.63× further in Kuala Lumpur than in Johor Bahru.
- The safety score is 10 points lower in Kuala Lumpur than in Johor Bahru.
- PM2.5 is 19.2 µg/m³ higher in Kuala Lumpur than in Johor Bahru.
- Green space is effectively the same in Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur.
Green favours Kuala Lumpur. Measured metrics only.
Head to head
Each row is named for the thing more of which is better, so a longer bar always wins.
Longer is better. Bar length is the rank among all 453 cities we hold that measure for, not a share of the pair.
Profile shape
Outward is better on every spoke, on the same percentile scale as the bars above. The area is not a score: it moves with the order of the axes.
Every metric, side by side
Each row carries the level it is measured at. A country figure is never printed as a city figure.
| Men per 100 women, 20–39national census, age×sex | 125.6 | 120.6 | 5.0 fewer men |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $678 | $698 | $20 |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $519 | $605 | $86 |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $1,070 | $1,542 | 1.44× as much |
| Salary covers essentialsaverage net salary ÷ essentials | 1.58× | 2.21× | 0.63× |
| Safety scoreperception-based, not police-reported crime | 51/100 | 41/100 | 10 points |
| PM2.5µg/m³ a year; WHO guideline is 5 | 18.7 | 37.9 | 2.03× |
| Green spaceshare of residents in high-greenness area, 2025 NDVI | 68% | 68% | 0 points |
| Food outletswithin 5 km (3 mi); OpenStreetMap density, a scene signal, not quality | 568 | 2,741 | 4.83× |
| Universitieswithin 18 km (11 mi), deduplicated to institutions | 17 | 49 | 2.88× |
| Reported enrolmentwhere Wikidata reports it; no sex split | n/a | 31,001 | — |
| Warmest monthcontextfeels like, ten-year monthly normal | 34°C / 93°F | 35°C / 95°F | — |
| Coolest monthcontextfeels like, ten-year monthly normal | 31°C / 88°F | 33°C / 91°F | — |
| Wettest monthcontextrainfall, ten-year monthly normal | 378 mm / 14.9 in | 398 mm / 15.7 in | — |
| Airportcontextnearest scheduled-service class | International | International | — |
| Beach towncontexton or beside the coast | No | No | — |
| Populationcontextas enumerated at this level | 1,711,200 | 1,982,100 | — |
| Tourist pressurecontextvisitor lodging per 1,000 urban-centre residents | 0.11 | 0.10 | — |
| Expat easeest.hand-set estimate | 68/100 | 68/100 | 0 points |
| Walkabilityest.hand-set estimate | 42/100 | 45/100 | 3 points |
| Nightlifeest.hand-set estimate | 55/100 | 82/100 | 27 points |
| Traffic safetyest.hand-set estimate | 40/100 | 30/100 | 10 points |
| Power gridest.hand-set estimate | 80/100 | 88/100 | 8 points |
| Urban intensityest.hand-set estimate | 70/100 | 92/100 | — |
Data updated August 6, 2026. Cost figures are Numbeo; sex ratio is the national census age×sex table.
Sex ratio and climate
Sex ratio is men per 100 women in each five-year band, with 100 as parity. Climate is ten-year monthly normals.
Everyday prices
The single items the monthly figures are built from. Cheaper side highlighted.
| Item | Johor Bahru | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $3.66 | $4.64 |
| Meal for 2, mid-range | $24.41 | $26.86 |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $4.88 | $4.88 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $2.80 | $3.13 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $4.64 | $4.39 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $6.35 | $6.10 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $0.87 | $0.81 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $0.52 | $0.46 |
| Milk, 1 L | $1.70 | $2.18 |
| White bread, 500 g | $1.07 | $1.11 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $1.46 | $1.93 |
| Eggs, 12 | $1.69 | $2.58 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $18.09 | $15.72 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $4.57 | $4.92 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $3.33 | $3.54 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $1.70 | $1.93 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $1.64 | $1.63 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $1.44 | $1.37 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $1.69 | $1.46 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.52 | $0.66 |
| One-way ticket, local transport | $0.73 | $0.73 |
| Monthly transit pass | $12.21 | $12.21 |
| Taxi start | $1.46 | $1.22 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $0.73 | $1.22 |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $0.79 | $0.78 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $52.49 | $63.99 |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $28.50 | $26.17 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $11.09 | $9.37 |
| Gym, monthly | $39.89 | $49.73 |
| Cinema, one seat | $4.88 | $5.37 |
Common questions
Answered here, from the figures above.
Which has more women, Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur, by 5.0 fewer men per 100 women.
men per 100 women, aged 20–39
Is Kuala Lumpur cheaper than Johor Bahru?
Johor Bahru is cheaper, by $20 a month.
essentials per month
Which is safer, Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur?
Johor Bahru, by 10 points.
safety score, higher is safer
Perception-based, not police-reported crime.
Which has better air quality?
Johor Bahru, by 2.03×.
PM2.5 µg/m³, annual mean
Both sit above the WHO guideline of 5.
Which goes further on a local salary?
Kuala Lumpur, by 0.63×.
essentials covered by one average net salary
Put Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur on the same board
Both cities land on the desk already pinned, next to every other city we track.
Open both in the research deskOr go deeper on Malaysia: visa, tax, scams, dating culture and subregion rankings. Unlocks the deep-dive, and every other market.
Photos: Johor Bahru: Malaysia Skyline, CC BY 4.0 · Kuala Lumpur: Renek78, CC0.
