I need a truck load of $$$ to live a life in KL

In conclusion, I don't think I can survive living in KL - money wise that is.

Being back in KL for a week has made me realize how expensive living a life here can be. No doubt if I move back to KL I'd save on things like:

1. Rental
2. Utility bills
3. Car maintenance (Dad's more than willing to be my personal chauffeur too)
4. Health insurance

BUT if you consider prices of things dollar-for-dollar and without converting it back to AUD, things are just SO expensive.

Case Study: Expected Salary of $3,000 (irregardless of the currency it is denominated in)

1. MAC Eye liners : Melbourne 1% vs KL 1.9%
   Upon conversion, it is priced at 2/3 of what I would pay in Melbourne. But hang on, you're talking about paying RM57 for one eye liner?
   


2. Dior Ultra Shine Lipstick : Melbourne 1.16% vs KL 2.5%
   One Dior Ultra Shine costs AUD35 or AUD31.50 @ the Duty Free. It's RM75 here. That's approx 2.5% of a RM3k salary.
   
   
3. Hallmark Cards : Melbourne 0.17% vs KL 0.73%
   Dad's birthday was on the 11th. My Sis and I went to B'sar Village to get him a card from Hallmark. I thought I heard the cashier wrongly when she said RM22. RM22 for a CARD? I don't know about you guys, but a RM22 card for someone who earns RM3.50/hr @ KFC is a lot of money. That's more than 6 hours of work.
   


4. Coffee : Melbourne 4% vs KL 10.67%
   I am a coffee addict. Surprisingly, I managed to function pretty well without a drop of coffee this week. Maybe because I didn't really have to use much of my brains during my trip back. It's AUD3 for a cup of cappucino. Here, it's at least RM8. I take two cups of coffee per business day. Back in KL, coffee consumption will take up close to 10% of my monthly salary.
   


5. Clothing : Melbourne 5.00% vs KL 8.33%
   I feel the pinch when I pay AUD150 for a Satch or AUD180 for a MCM shirt. It's RM249 for a good one @ Zara (and quite frankly, I wouldn't go elsewhere if you intend to get something cheaper). When my Sis told me that Banana Republic will be opening their first store in Singapore shortly, I got excited. I got even more thrilled when she said they may be opening one here in KL. Uno Secondo! I used to pay at least USD80 for an ordinary business shirt. I'm assuming they are expecting to charge something like >RM350 per shirt. That's quite a bit of money for a shirt if you're earning in local currency.

So in conclusion, even with FAMA's subsidies on rental, car and etc, I don't really think I can afford living in KL.