The cost of living in Malaysia is still ‘relatively’ modest despite the inflation. It is not as expensive as the neighboring Singapore, or any US and EU nation. Its not as cheap as other Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia.
The cost of living in Malaysia varies depending on where within Malaysia you will be staying.
For this post, lets consider cost of living in Kuala Lumpur as it is one of the most favored regions to live in.
Before we start, please note that the Cost of living depends on one’s lifestyle and habits. The numbers mentioned throughout this blog post are indicative of avg prices only. Please do the math based on your lifestyle and needs.
Cost of living in Malaysia
To live in Kuala Lumpur, here’s how much you’d need. These figures are inclusive of the rent and other basic necessities.
| Cost of living in Kuala Lumpur | Single person | Couple, no kids | A couple with one kid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget/ Frugal living | RM 2500 ($560) | RM 3700 ($753.6) | RM 6000 ($1352) |
| Mid-range | RM 3500 ($790) | RM 6500 ($1450) | RM 8500 ($1915) |
| Luxury | RM 7500 ($1690) | RM 15000 ($3380) | RM 18000 ($4056) |
How did I arrive at these numbers? By experience.
As someone who has been living in KL for 6 years, I am quite aware of the prices around here and I have tried my level best to include all the ‘real’ costs on the ground and arrived at what could be an avg budget required.
To help you understand better, I will also use my own example and share break up of what my living expenses are in Kuala Lumpur.
I stay with my husband in KL. We both have full time jobs. We have no kids or pets. We own a car. Our employer covers our medical insurance. Given these conditions, here’s what we spend on an average in a month. The prices are as on 2023.
| Typical costs for a couple with no kids | In MYR | In USD (1 MYR = 0.224193 USD) |
| Rent (for a 3 bed 2 bath, 945 sq ft in a prime area) This includes free gym, sauna, jacuzzi and trash collection | RM 2500 | $ 560.50 |
| Eating out & Coffee | RM 200 | $ 44.84 |
| Fuel | RM 100 | $ 22.42 |
| Electricity | RM 150 | $ 33.63 |
| Phone | RM 80 | $ 17.93 |
| Water bill | RM 35 | $ 7.84 |
| Groceries | RM 500 | $ 112.10 |
| Internet | RM 140 | $ 31.38 |
| TOTAL | RM 3705 | $ 831 |
So as you can see from the table above, a couple with no kids can live within $1000 a month in Kuala Lumpur.
I have covered only the basic necessities, but you can feel free to add other expenses like shopping, entertainment etc when you do the math, depending on your needs and lifestyle.
Now, lets look at a break up of these costs.
Accommodation: This will be the highest expense in Malaysia. There are two types of accommodation in Malaysia. Landed houses and condos. A 3x rent will be expected to be paid as deposit and is refundable when you terminate your stay. Rent depends on the location and size.
For condos,
2 bed, 2 bath , 937 sqft, in the city centre like KLCC costs RM 5100 ( $ 1143) per month
3 bed, 2 bath, 1080 sqft, in a prime area like Mont Kiara costs RM 3300 ( $ 740) per month
3 bed, 2 bath , 862 sqft, in an area outside the city Centre like Desa Park city costs RM 2300 ($ 516) month.
Lets look at the prices for a link/terrace house
A terrace/ link house in city centre with about 45000 sqft costs RM 10000-16000 ( $ 2242 – $ 3587) per month depending on the precise location and conditions.
A terrace house/link house in a prime area costs around RM 8000 ($1793) per month.
In non prime areas it is possible to get 1500-2000 sqft link/terrace house for RM 2500-3000 ($560 – $673) per month.
TIPS TO SAVE MONEY ON ACCOMODATION : You can save money on accommodation by choosing to
(a) Living in shared accommodation
(b) Living further away from the city Centre Public Transport :
KL Public transport is good and is very accessible with buses, trains (LRT, MRT and KTM). You can also use taxis typically called GRAB cars.
Local transport one way typically costs RM 3 ($0.6)
Monthly pass costs RM 50 ($11)
Taxis typically cost RM 10-12 ($2.2 – $2.6) for a 8 Km ride during non peak hours. During peak hours the prices increase 2x -3x times.
TIPS TO SAVE MONEY ON TRANSPORT:
- Public transport is cheaper than taxis.
- There are free buses called ‘Go KL‘ for designated areas. Make use of them.
- The government also has reduced fares on trains on special occasions like launch of new train lines, Hari Raya or Merdeka day.
Phone: A maxis postpaid for a single user, 60 GB data, unlimited calls and SMS – RM 78 ($17.4) per month
For small families with unlimited calls and SMS and 80 GB data – RM 128 ($29) per month
Internet is likely to cost you around RM 100 for 100 Mbps
Groceries : Depending on what you eat and ‘where’ you shop your groceries, costs can vary. Here are few average costs.
Milk 1 litre – RM 13 ($3)
Rice 5 kg bag – RM 32 ($7.17)
Bread – RM 4 ($0.8)
Eggs (10) – RM 8 ($1.8)
Water 1 litre – RM 3 ($0.6)
TIPS TO SAVE MONEY ON GROCERIES: Shop at cheaper places like Little India, NSK Trading Centre, Aeon.
EATING OUT / RESTAURANTS
Eating out can be very inexpensive in Malaysia. The prices are reasonable, despite paying a 5% service charge and 6% service tax.
McD burger with fries and a drink – RM 24 ($5.3)
A meal at a cheap restaurant / hawker stall for one person – RM 10 ($2.24)
A meal at a moderate restaurant for a couple – RM 65 ($ 14.5)
A meal at an expensive restaurant with drinks for 2 px – RM 150- RM 200 ($34-$45)
Starbucks Grande Frapuccino – RM 20 ($4.4)
TIPS TO SAVE MONEY ON EATING OUT: Meals at hawker stalls are very cheap and a good portion as well. You can also pick up affordable packed meals from 7Eleven as well.
ELECTRICITY can cost avg around RM 150- RM 175 ($34 – $40)
WATER – RM 35 ($8)
SHOPPING
Branded jeans – RM 150- RM 200 ($34 – $45) , non branded jeans RM 50 ($11)
Branded T-shirts – RM 50- RM 85 ($11 – $18) ; non branded T shirts RM 25 ($6)
Branded sneakers – Between RM 60 -RM 280 ($13 – $62), local or non branded sneakers – RM 45 ($10)
TIPS TO SAVE MONEY ON SHOPPING: Shopping from thriftstores could save you some bucks. For home decor/ needs there are several budget stores like DIY, Daiso, Mr Dollar.
ENTERTAINMENT A movie ticket for a single person RM 25 ($6).
MEDICAL EXPENSES are very affordable and easily accessible. If you do not have insurance and if you are spending from your pocket, a consultation can cost anywhere between RM 25 to RM 50 ($6 – $11) with a general doctor and can go upto RM 100 ($22) if you are consulting specialists.
FUEL : Fuel prices are very cheap in Malaysia. One litre of RON 95 fuel costs 2.05 RM ( ~50 cents)
What is the cost of living in Penang?
As stated in Numbeo,
| Rent Prices in Penang are 21.3% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Restaurant Prices in Penang are 26.0% lower than in Kuala Lumpur | |
| Groceries Prices in Penang are 7.1% lower than in Kuala Lumpur |
What is the cost of living in Johor Bahru?
| Rent Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 71.4% higher than in Johor Bahru | |
| Restaurant Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 21.8% higher than in Johor Bahru | |
| Groceries Prices in Kuala Lumpur are 3.3% higher than in Johor Bahru |
Hope this post gives you an idea of what the cost of living in Malaysia could be. If you have any questions, please mention them in the comments below.
