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 $1,075 per month in East London vs $760 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,578 per month in East London vs $1,153 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,082 per month in East London vs $1,546 in Malacca, rent included.

East London costs about 41% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both East London and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – East London 20% lower, Malacca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 R 109

$3.59 MYR 14.41

86.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.04 R 506

$18.74 MYR 75.2

65.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 R 72.7

$4.63 MYR 18.55

-3.89%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R 33.94

$3.00 MYR 12.04

-30.67%

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

$0.96 R 15.61

$0.85 MYR 3.41

12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.21

$0.46 MYR 1.83

89.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 R 40.09

$2.07 MYR 8.32

18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 R 51.8

$3.24 MYR 13.01

-2.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R 16.67

$1.50 MYR 6.00

-32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 R 14.00

$1.00 MYR 4.02

-14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 R 33.23

$1.29 MYR 5.16

58.14%

Eggs

$2.04 R 33.29

$1.80 MYR 7.23

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 R 151

$15.69 MYR 62.9

-41.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 R 66.1

$5.03 MYR 20.16

-19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 R 127

$11.27 MYR 45.18

-31.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.75

$3.59 MYR 14.38

-55.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 R 35.25

$1.46 MYR 5.87

47.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.29

$2.54 MYR 10.17

-43.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.14

$1.94 MYR 7.79

-23.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.62

$1.48 MYR 5.92

2.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.34

$1.76 MYR 7.05

-18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 R 18.08

$1.29 MYR 5.17

-13.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.61

$0.51 MYR 2.06

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 R 44.38

$4.19 MYR 16.80

-35.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 R 79.0

$14.57 MYR 58.4

-66.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 R 28.82

$2.08 MYR 8.34

-14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.36

$2.92 MYR 11.72

-13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 R 10.92

$0.45 MYR 1.80

48.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.80 R 356

$11.55 MYR 46.32

88.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 18.04

$1.43 MYR 5.73

-22.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.66

$1.00 MYR 3.99

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 R 67.5

$5.86 MYR 23.51

-29.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.92

$0.47 MYR 1.88

172.34%

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

$35.8K R 584.8K

$34.7K MYR 139.3K

3.15%

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

$22.4K R 365.7K

$39.1K MYR 156.9K

-42.73%

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

$197 R 3,220

$46.04 MYR 185

328.58%

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

$30.87 R 504

$8.98 MYR 36.00

243.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.37 R 740

$31.41 MYR 126

44.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 R 546

$16.42 MYR 65.8

103.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.38 R 22.46

$11.90 MYR 47.73

-88.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.63 R 59.2

$4.94 MYR 19.80

-26.52%

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

$120 R 1,959

$190 MYR 761

-36.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,216 R 68.8K

$7,049 MYR 28.3K

-40.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 R 858

$64.3 MYR 258

-18.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.82 R 470

$18.57 MYR 74.5

55.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 R 1,768

$74.1 MYR 297

46.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 R 1,429

$39.98 MYR 160

118.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 R 4,285

$331 MYR 1,328

-20.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 R 4,749

$189 MYR 760

53.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 R 8,237

$697 MYR 2,797

-27.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 R 8,927

$286 MYR 1,145

91.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,994 MYR 7,995

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$979 MYR 3,925

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,698 R 27.7K

$933 MYR 3,741

82.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

170.27%

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

Last update for East London: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malacca: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in East London versus $331 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 82% 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 $31.00 in East London versus $19.00 in Malacca. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in East London vs $255 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: $1,075 in East London, $760 in Malacca – roughly 41% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,612 per month in East London and $1,141 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 $120 per month in East London and $190 in Malacca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 37% 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 $1,075 in East London and $760 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 $760 in Malacca to $1,075 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.