Bangkok vs Kuala Lumpur?

As an expat, choosing between Bangkok and KL turned out to be much harder than I thought. While I’ve mostly made up my mind, I wanted to do a brain dump and reflect here. This isn’t deep research, just my initial impressions after staying around three months in each city.

Overall Feel

Bangkok is larger, louder, and more chaotic. It has about five times the population of KL and costs roughly 10 to 20% more. KL feels calmer, cleaner, and more developed. In Bangkok, cannabis shops are everywhere and sex work is in your face. Not exactly subtle. One surprise was that KL’s airport is a slightly better travel hub, both within SE Asia and for long-haul flights.

Housing

In KL, apartments are newer, larger, and generally better value for money. Even in prime areas like KLCC, price per square meter is lower than Bangkok. Bangkok still offers good deals if you live 20 to 30 minutes outside Sukhumvit, where the BTS makes it accessible. KL’s challenge is accessibility. Interesting areas like Bangsar South, Mont Kiara, and Desa ParkCity aren’t well connected by metro.

Traffic

Bangkok traffic is worse, but the public transit system is great if you’re staying in Sukhumvit (most expats are). The BTS (Skytrain) and MRT (metro) make a big difference and I rode them every day. In KL, traffic improves outside rush hour, yet metro still feels incomplete and disconnected.

Walkability

Bangkok wins hands down. You can easily spend a day walking around Sukhumvit or Silom. KL, outside KLCC and Bukit Bintang, is not pedestrian-friendly. I can easily get my 10–15k steps in Bangkok. In KL, it usually means walking in malls or hitting a treadmill, which isn’t pleasant.

Air quality

Pollution in Bangkok is becoming a serious issue and seems to worsen each year. Many people avoid going out, some even leave the city during the burning season. The AQI stays above 100 for months, peaking for a few months around New Year. KL’s air isn’t perfect, but it’s noticeably cleaner most of the year. I haven’t experienced Bangkok’s bad air yet.

Social Life

Bangkok attracts a mix of transients and drifters. Many are interesting, but there’s also no shortage of odd characters. It’s easy to meet people but harder to form lasting connections. Several long-term expats told me they’ve struggled to build meaningful friendships with Thai locals.

KL feels more grounded. Most Malaysians speak good English, which makes daily interactions smoother and friendships easier to build. For me, that language factor alone makes a big difference.

Workspaces

Bangkok wins for remote work. It’s full of well-designed cafes and coworking spaces on every corner of the city. In KL, the options are more limited than I imagined.

Nightlife

There’s no real comparison here. Bangkok is a global nightlife city. For me, though, that matters less these days. I don’t drink and the older I get, the more I prefer quieter evenings. Alcohol is more expensive in KL, and entertainment options are (much) tamer.

Final Thoughts

Notice I didn’t mention food, safety, or nature. I think food is amazing in both cities, so it’s just personal preference. Safety in my opinion is a non-issue in both. I haven’t explored the nature and trails in either city yet, so I’m excluding that for now, but it’s an important factor for me. I’ll update this post after I explore more.

I like both cities. Bangkok is intense, stimulating, and full of life. KL is calmer, cleaner, and easier to live in long term. If you want constant stimulation, Bangkok will keep you hooked. If you value balance, space, and a slower pace, KL starts to make a lot more sense.

So which one would you choose? Email me your answer.