Cost of living in Malaysia - 2017

> How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Malaysia?  I pay 2500 but am in the more expensive part of Kota Kinabalu. 2 bd, 1 bath, views of ocean and bay.

> Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta? bread is about RM6 for a loaf.

>What is your monthly grocery budget? For one person who cooks a lot and purchases many foods from US and Europe, RM600.

> How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Malaysia ?  Clinic is about RM25

> How much does it cost to fill up your car’s fuel tank? RM60 (Myvi)

> How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.? About RM300 a month

> How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription? Internet: RM170, Phone: RM85

> How much do you pay for an espresso coffee? RM12

> How much do you pay for a cinema ticket? RM12

Though I am attached in KL, my salary is in Singapore dollar and to me, almost everything is cheap, some are comparable, and some are more expensive than in Singapore.
My favorite topic is food so I will just talk about saving on food.
Eating Out:
My advice is if you have to eat out every day, your condo cafeteria, your neighborhood coffee shop, shopping mall food court or roadside stalls are still cheaper and sometimes even yummier than the restaurant.
And if you are very particular about cleanliness and willing to pay more and be seen with the rich and famous, mover and shaker, I will be happy to recommend a dozen of Fine Dining restaurants owned by my buddies.
As for me, when you are in Rome, eat as what the Roman eat.
That is exactly what I am doing, happily eating in a coffee shop and roadside stalls in my jeans and business attire with my tie thrown over my shoulder and I am fine with it though I am forced to eat in the restaurant at least twice a day due to my nature of work which is partly to entertain and be entertained by clients.
Bon Appetit

Hi All
       Below is the expenses for my living in penang, malaysia. It may useful for some guys. If you are budgeted person and looks for decent stay my expenses will suits for you. 
       I have rented a apartment. As of now only one person waiting for family to join

> How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Malaysia?
      My rental in penang is 1200RM, with 3bhk full furn. The rent will range depends on the area also. With 1200-1500RM anyone can get a decent apartment.

> How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?
   As of now im using taxi- uber or grab. My monthly estimate for this 170-250RM. Since they give promo for some period the cost will be reduced further.

> Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?
Penang, Malaysia has lot of restaurant some open for 24hrs too. Food seems to be cheap. Im cooking myself for dinner rest of two outside. Overall it would be around 500RM if u budgeted. 5kg Indian rice around 40RM. There are cheaper rice less than 20RM too.


>What is your monthly budget?
My budget is 2000-2500RM. With that you can cover all expenses.
  Rent-1200RM
  Utilities- 200RM
  Transport-200RM
  Food- 500RM(Included grocessory and outside food. If cooking all time is even more cheap)
  Internet n mobile - 250RM
  Entertainment- It Depends

> How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Malaysia ? 
I have insurance which covers all. Not sure about cost

> What is your children's schooling monthly budget?
Not sure

> How much does it cost to fill up your car’s fuel tank?
Petrol rate is cheap around 2-2.5RM per litre. You can calculate depends on this

> How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.?
If you are heavy usage it will cost. The price vary depends on the usage. First 200KW lower price Next 100Kw slightly higher, next 300Kw higher. It can be less than 150RM for a two people normal usage.

> How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription?
My Internet is 150RM TIME subscription and phone bill around 90RM

> How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?
Around 4-7RM in canteen. Average regular meals around 4.5RM.

> How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?
Cinema ticket is around 12-14RM

Hope this will help for some guys.

Thanks

>How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Malaysia?

I pay MYR 1800 for a 1BHK in a condo in Maluri area (close to the city center) which has a nice swimming pool and a gym. This also includes covered parking. Although the asking rate is a bit higher I had to negotiate with the broker/ house owner as this is my second year in the apartment.

> How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?

Never used one. Although I have used a train a couple of times, I mostly use my company vehicle to move around in the city.

> Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?

There is a wide variety of choices as far as food is concerned. A value meal in KFC/ McD could be as much as MYR 10-15 (burger, fries and a drink). The local food (mamak stalls) is a lot cheaper and a meal could be bought in half of the amount. Bread - MYR 2.80, Rice 1Kg - MYR 10-12 if you plan to cook at home.

>What is your monthly grocery budget?

Depends mostly on your lifestyle. My budget MYR 400 - 500.

> How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Malaysia ? 

The local general physician charges are somewhere within MYR 30 - 50 while the specialists could charge you anywhere between MYR 70 - 150.

> What is your children's schooling monthly budget?

NA

> How much does it cost to fill up your car’s fuel tank?

Fuel charges have gone up from last year from MYR 1.70 to MYR 2.30 for a liter of petrol. MYR 50 - 55 for a full tank I would say.

> How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.?

Electricity - MYR 20 - 40 (depending on your usage)
Water - MYR 10 - 15 (depending on your usage)
Cooking gas - A cylinder cost around MYR 20, last for about 3-4 months again depending on your usage

> How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription?

MYR 200 for mobile charges and same for house internet/ TM package.

> How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?
MYR 9-15

> How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?

MYR 1 - 5

> How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?

MYR 12 - 17; MYR 34 for high end ones

> How much does a gym membership cost in Malaysia? 

NA

Q: How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Malaysia? 
A: I am paying RM 4.5k for a 1700 sqft unfurnished condo in Mont Kiara. The condo building allows dogs and is quite contemporary with good management.

Q: How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?
A: Never used public transport. KL is pretty much a car city from my perspective. You can get a car in MY for as little as RM 20k (local) but Japanese cars are generally preferred and cost about RM 65k upwards. It is also easy to get a car lease with a minimum 20-25% downpayment... this reduces it to a monthly rental to be paid again depending on your budget. But, I do fancy the new MRT lines... sadly they dont provide access to MK. However, Uber and Grab make it very convenient to get around the city.

Q: Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?
A: Basic foods are quite inexpensive... a loaf of bread is about RM 2-4 depending on your taste / preference. Rice is quite cheap if buying local SEA varieties (RM 15-30 for a 5kg pack) but Basmati rice from India/Pakistan is very expensive at RM 55 per 5 kg pack.

Q: What is your monthly grocery budget?
A: About RM 2.5-3k for my family (3 adults, 1 toddler, 1 dog)... this includes diapers, baby food, healthy / organic foods and dog food / supplies.

Q: How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Malaysia?
A: Advice, always make sure your company covers maternity (if you are intending to have a kid while here) because its usually not covered and very very expensive. Consultants charge from RM 80-300 for consult depending on specialization and hospital. But, they also add up other charges into the bill at some hospitals. So, expect to pay up to RM 1k per visit (especially if its a ObGyn).

Q: What is your children's schooling monthly budget?
A: For my toddler, my cost is around 2.5k per month (7.2k for a 3-mth semester). But, pre-school annual cost range is about RM 10-30k for the year. Schooling in good international schools can however cost quite a bit... RM 40-70k per year.

Q: How much does it cost to fill up your car’s fuel tank?
Prices fluctuate quite a lot recently (MY is a net exporter of oil and with the global downswing, they are charging local consumers higher) with prices moving up and down 6 times in the last 8 months. My 30ltr tank now gets filled in RM 70 and my 50ltr tank gets filled with RM 110 on the latest prices.

Q: How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.?
A: Electricity - RM 700-900
Gas: RM 20-50
Water: RM 20-50
Sewerage: RM 8 per month

Q: How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription?
A:
Internet & TV / Astro: RM 350
Cellular: RM 200 with a phone package

Q: How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?
A: a typical good lunch costs from Rm 15-30
You can however buy cheap as well between RM 5-10

Q: How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?
A: RM 10 - but I go for the iced black, nothing fancy

Q: How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?
A: a nice twin seat costs RM 36, with add-ons (imax, 3d, etc) it could go up to a max of Rm 70-80 for a premium / luxury cinematic experience. These prices are for two people. Plus your F&B.

Q: How much does a gym membership cost in Malaysia?
A: quite cheap actually, I think RM 200-300 gets you the best membership in town. But most condos have good gyms, infact its a major selection criteria for the condo you choose here.

Good evening everyone ,

Compare to the cost of living Philippines is more cheap than here, but between KL than other countries Malaysia still in a low cost of living .

Products like cooking oil , sugar, coffee, soap, detergent soap, over the counter medicine, transportation, and some local foods are cheaper
While Rice is more expensive here.

In an Overseas worker like me, boarding houses cost 250-300 monthly to rent a room,
Including electricity and water
I consumed very high in my internet and phone prepaid bills for frequently in touch with my children and friends. 120 for the broadband, 30 monthly date plus for phone calls and sms.

In medical area, if suddenly sick and need to see doctor 40-100rm for one time check up including medicine .
Government hospital cost 15rm for out patient foreigner (that's was 7years ago)
Dental problem is expensive here.

Electronic devices are more cheaper.
Education is more  high fees...
Clothing is almost the same .
Salon is more expensive here.

That's all I can share for now in this forum and thank you Ms Priscilla for the talks...

Apartment for rental it depends on your demand but normaly you can get in 1200rm and food cost monthly around 500 to 600rm, are you coming malaysia?

Ok, though im in my 18th year in Malaysia and would know prices well, I cant make any sense of the posts that have been written so far.

1. "Cheap" is relative. Are you sure something you say is cheap is cheap to the next person?
2.  You pay some amount for something like a phone "package." Is that the same package a new expat would pay, or might he get some other service that would cost more or less?
3. You pay RM5000 for a condo, is that the same one all expats would get?

To me, if I were considering Malaysia to move to, the most valuable info about prices is whether or not the same items cost more or less, year-to-year.

Something expats should know about this place is that prices only go up, not down, and any excuse is used to raise prices whenever possible. The recent increase in petrol prices caused everyone else to raise their prices in sympathy. Since Chinese New Year, I see many prices of things suddenly jumped up 10%. In coming Ramadan it will happen again. But, for example, if Najib lowers petrol prices even down to ZERO, nobody will lower their prices for anything. But where there is even a 5 sen rise, everyone goes crazy and raises their prices for goods "because the petrol rise made our goods more expensive from the lorry driver and supplier." What a bunch of BS. How did the 5 sen rise last night effect goods you already had on the shelf for the past year? AND, explain how a 5 sen rise in petrol prices last night caused you to raise your prices RM1 or RM2? (you will never get a straight answer to that question.) There is no other term for it except outright cheating.

Another thing that causes price rises is any salary increase that civil servants get. When Najib raises salaries, expect to see increases in shops the very next day-- "why not raise prices? People have more to spend!" Also, Najib gives them special gifts, called candy, a few times a year in the form of a one time RM500 cash payment. As soon as the news is out, everyone suddenly raises prices. And these prices NEVER GO DOWN AGAIN.

Ive been tracking food prices for years. Five years ago, my set of foods cost no more than RM600/month. Today, the same set of foods, less the items ive given up or substituted, cost RM1200/month. Thats 100% increase in five years. Also, say in the specifc costs, Tesco-brand instant coffee was RM5.99, now its RM8.49. But the increase is harder for people to see because that bag size was 250g, then 200g. You see this in many food items, the price may not appear to change until you see the weight. A bag of peanuts was 250g, then 200g, then 180g.

Specific examples:
1. The cinema that operates in Juscos has charged RM11 on "cheap Wednesdays" for a while now. Suddenly last week the price changed to RM12. Thats almost 10% jump.
2. The refrigerator I bought in 2005 for RM450 is now RM950. That 100% increase in 12 years.
3. I rent a terrace house in Penang since Jan 2012. I pay RM700 and it hasnt changed because the landlord is shy to ask for an increase. But its wrong to say I pay RM700, its not correct. If I go TODAY and try to rent the same house in the same neighborhood it wont cost RM700, it will be RM1100 or more. You can see the inflation now.
4. Sewing supplies I have been buying for my business have been steadily rising at 12% per year since the past five years.
5. In 2005, the price of a company secretary was RM500. Today its RM1300.
6. A clinic I go to was RM30 for a visit, now its RM60.
7. A little shop i go to for Nasi Lemak was RM1.50, now its RM3.50, AND the rice portion is smaller too. Many, many food shops have not raised their prices out of fear of government action against them, so they just steadily reduce the portion sizes instead. Thats not only inflation, its cheating too.

Malaysians have long been under a kind of brainwashing about prices. If a price itself doesnt change, they think all is OK. Really? Lets check that. A car workshop I used to go to charged RM30 per hour. Years later, the price is still RM30 and the owner gloats. But hold on...now its RM30 per HALF-hour which means the real price is RM60 per hour but the owner, AND customers, would not agree with me that the price has changed. "Its still RM30!!" Just like with food, check the weight, check the portion size, you fool! "But its still RM30, whats the problem??" I give up. But that false and idiotic and stupid  thinking spills over to expats who have to suffer the illogic in the form of high inflation.

Numbeo.com is a great place to see and compare accurate prices but they dont show you inflation, the more valuable number. Expats planning a move need to see whats going to happen to them over time and once again, prices only go one direction here--UP. How to plan for that?

I would agree with CVCO in that prices have increased dramatically over the last 15-20 years. Malaysia is NOT cheap anymore, esp Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Baru. We don't pay rent since we own our house, but my wife bought the house about 20 years ago for RM70K and now the same house would sell for over RM500K. She used to rent the house out for RM300 per month, then 400, then ... and finally about RM2500 just before we moved back 3 years ago. (so in a sense we're paying RM2500 in lost income since we're not renting it out anymore, but living in it).

What I find most frustrating is the rapid increases in prices, esp by government controlled prices. The could go years with very little increase, and suddenly a 50%-150% increase overnight. Examples include tolls on highways, train tickets and such. Also the dramatic reduction in serving sizes at food stalls and even grocery stores.

I didnt post to grouse about high prices but to give new expats a sense of what to expect. Prices today wont be the same 6 months or a year from now. Inflation has to be kept in mind and planned for lest you find yourself grossly under resourced. The worst case is an expat with a fixed income that wont change later. This constant erosion of funds can spell doom for lots of people.  I went for years and didnt feel pinched or in a struggle. Nowadays I definitely feel pinched and feel myself both working harder and cutting back on the buying of things I always took for granted I could have. I never planned for this velocity of inflation. I didnt because we all think it cant happen. And then we are there.

Look at just two food items, honey and peanut butter. Both were pretty constant until about three years ago and then the prices exploded. Both are double and triple the price now. Furthermore, the government is eliminating in steps its subsidies for staple items and then you will see the kind of inflation they purposely avoid scripting in horror movies in fear of the audience having mass heart attacks!

That's so true, prices can remain the same for some items for sometimes decades and suddenly they triple overnight. This is esp true for anything that is controlled by the government such as tolls, bread, flour, petrol, bus fares, and so on. The government will refuse price increases over and over again, then when they do approve the increase 10, 15 or even 20 years of price increases are all added at one time.

If you're on a fixed income, esp in retirement mode this can a disaster for the household budget. I haven't retired yet, but getting close. My lovely wife keeps saying that we have plenty of money and I should just go ahead and retire. But what RM5K or even RM10K buys today may not be enough to live on in another 10 or 15 years.

About govt, they also lie. On Feb 1, we had a gas increase of 20 sen. Night before, someone in the Domestic Trade ministry sent messages around that there would be an increase. During the ensuing panic to buy gas, the Director Boss passed messages around to ignore the rumors, to stop spreading vicious and unfounded wild lies and untrue rumors, there would absolutely be no increase in Feb. Two hours later at midnight, 20 sen increase.

There is also hidden inflation that gets 100% of the population. When I came in 2000, having RM40-80 in your pocket for walk around money was a lot. RM100 would be hard to spend because everything was RM1 or RM2. TODAY, I go to the ATM many times in a month---RM400, RM900, RM300, RM1000, RM200, RM600. Constant, constant, constant. Where the money goes, who knows? And Im a careful person! New expats will soon learn in asia in small money goes very fast, every last stinking person has their hand out for money and those seemingly little things, a parking charge, a toll,  a roti canai, that extra money you let the taxi driver keep, adds up fast. Walk around money is a disaster by itself. But it didnt used to be and its another thing that must be thrown into the monthly budget unless you find the way to cut it off completely. A GOOD IDEA.

I found this a very informative reply. Thank you

Thank you for your interest.  We stayed in Penang for a month in order to find out the cost of living in Malaysia.   As our currency is almost four times less than in your country, we will have to downscale to a normal landed property when in Penang.  We are living comfortablely at the moment but have political problems. We visited Tesco  and Giants, we comuted on the bus and the fairy, We drove around the island in order to get an idea of the areas where to stay.  We intend moving to Penang by the end of this year