Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Malacca Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Malacca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,042 per month in East London vs $594 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,680 per month in East London vs $955 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,319 per month in East London vs $1,316 in Malacca, rent included.

East London costs about 75% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both East London and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – East London 24% lower, Malacca 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.64 R 155

$3.37 MYR 13.72

186.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.29 R 633

$21.59 MYR 87.8

81.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 R 94.7

$5.00 MYR 20.35

17.60%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R 36.04

$2.98 MYR 12.11

-24.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 R 17.54

$0.79 MYR 3.22

37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 12.91

$0.52 MYR 2.10

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 45.79

$2.00 MYR 8.13

42.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R 53.3

$3.04 MYR 12.35

8.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 R 18.81

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-32.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 R 14.99

$1.07 MYR 4.34

-13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.18

$1.44 MYR 5.87

4.17%

Eggs

$2.34 R 37.62

$1.66 MYR 6.76

40.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 R 142

$18.40 MYR 74.8

-52.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 R 88.5

$4.59 MYR 18.67

19.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 R 140

$10.97 MYR 44.64

-20.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.53

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-52.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.84

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.46

$2.51 MYR 10.22

-31.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.15

$1.62 MYR 6.60

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 R 27.80

$1.43 MYR 5.81

20.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.56

$1.67 MYR 6.80

-12.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.57

$1.37 MYR 5.59

-10.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.09

$0.55 MYR 2.25

70.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 R 47.57

$4.37 MYR 17.79

-32.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.07 R 81.6

$13.94 MYR 56.7

-63.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.14

$2.14 MYR 8.70

-38.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 R 28.85

$3.01 MYR 12.24

-40.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 R 24.77

$0.51 MYR 2.06

201.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.11 R 791

$12.34 MYR 50.2

297.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 R 20.71

$1.45 MYR 5.90

-11.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 R 7.78

$0.70 MYR 2.86

-31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.91 R 144

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-29.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.86

$0.52 MYR 2.13

161.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.8K R 592.6K

$42.5K MYR 173.0K

-13.48%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.4K R 473.2K

$35.8K MYR 145.5K

-17.83%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$127 R 2,047

$52.8 MYR 215

140.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$34.25 R 552

$11.19 MYR 45.51

206.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.53 R 717

$28.92 MYR 118

53.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.73 R 656

$22.47 MYR 91.4

81.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 MYR 47.84

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 R 80.3

$4.80 MYR 19.53

3.96%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$183 R 2,945

$167 MYR 679

9.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,563 R 89.6K

$4,421 MYR 18.0K

25.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 R 962

$65.5 MYR 266

-8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 R 551

$16.46 MYR 66.9

107.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 R 1,201

$83.3 MYR 339

-10.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 R 1,593

$40.56 MYR 165

143.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 R 4,748

$200 MYR 814

47.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R 4,243

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 R 9,183

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 R 10.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,208 MYR 4,915

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$787 MYR 3,202

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.2K

$419 MYR 1,704

303.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

170.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for East London: September 6, 2026

Last update for Malacca: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $295 in East London versus $200 in Malacca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 303% higher in East London, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in East London versus $22.00 in Malacca. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in East London vs $261 in Malacca – so East London wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

East London vs Malacca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,042 in East London, $594 in Malacca – roughly 75% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,562 per month in East London and $890 in Malacca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malacca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in East London and $167 in Malacca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in East London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,042 in East London and $594 in Malacca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. East London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $594 in Malacca to $1,042 in East London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malacca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, East London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.