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 $1,076 per month in East London vs $772 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,570 per month in East London vs $1,151 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,064 per month in East London vs $1,531 in Malacca, rent included.

East London costs about 39% 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

$6.90 R 113

$3.56 MYR 14.05

93.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.33 R 514

$18.71 MYR 73.9

67.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 R 75.6

$4.78 MYR 18.90

-3.56%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 33.20

$2.90 MYR 11.44

-30.34%

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

$0.99 R 16.18

$0.79 MYR 3.11

25.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.36

$0.48 MYR 1.91

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 R 42.20

$2.15 MYR 8.49

19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 R 49.45

$3.09 MYR 12.19

-2.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.54

$1.48 MYR 5.86

-27.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 R 14.77

$0.94 MYR 3.70

-4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 R 32.16

$1.29 MYR 5.08

51.94%

Eggs

$2.13 R 35.00

$1.81 MYR 7.14

17.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 R 152

$15.36 MYR 60.7

-39.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R 66.6

$5.20 MYR 20.53

-21.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 R 121

$11.13 MYR 43.97

-33.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.84

$3.63 MYR 14.35

-56.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 R 35.30

$1.45 MYR 5.75

48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.76

$2.66 MYR 10.51

-47.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.32

$1.98 MYR 7.84

-25.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.37

$1.47 MYR 5.80

1.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.32

$1.73 MYR 6.82

-17.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.38

$1.26 MYR 4.99

-15.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.10

$0.56 MYR 2.21

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 42.98

$4.32 MYR 17.05

-39.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 77.9

$14.36 MYR 56.7

-66.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 R 28.81

$2.04 MYR 8.04

-13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.46

$2.92 MYR 11.54

-13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 R 11.96

$0.48 MYR 1.90

52.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.51 R 353

$11.71 MYR 46.25

83.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.94

$1.39 MYR 5.49

-21.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.35

$0.98 MYR 3.89

-4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 R 66.6

$6.04 MYR 23.87

-32.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.93

$0.47 MYR 1.84

172.34%

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

$35.7K R 585.8K

$35.7K MYR 141.2K

-0.07%

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

$21.9K R 358.8K

$39.1K MYR 154.6K

-44.12%

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

$198 R 3,243

$46.28 MYR 183

327.27%

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

$30.90 R 507

$9.15 MYR 36.14

237.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.08 R 739

$31.14 MYR 123

44.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.27 R 546

$16.68 MYR 65.9

99.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.42 R 23.33

$11.65 MYR 46.00

-87.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 R 60.0

$4.88 MYR 19.28

-25.00%

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

$119 R 1,957

$191 MYR 753

-37.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,233 R 69.4K

$6,891 MYR 27.2K

-38.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R 850

$65.9 MYR 260

-21.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.88 R 474

$18.59 MYR 73.4

55.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 R 1,725

$71.7 MYR 283

46.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 R 1,396

$40.54 MYR 160

110.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 R 4,432

$333 MYR 1,316

-18.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 R 4,867

$189 MYR 746

57.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 R 8,351

$695 MYR 2,746

-26.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 R 8,922

$280 MYR 1,107

94.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,220 MYR 4,818

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 MYR 3,224

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,685 R 27.6K

$926 MYR 3,656

82.08%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Malacca: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in East London versus $333 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 in East London versus $19 in Malacca. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in East London vs $254 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: $1,076 in East London, $772 in Malacca – roughly 39% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,614 per month in East London and $1,158 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 $119 per month in East London and $191 in Malacca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% 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 $1,076 in East London and $772 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 $772 in Malacca to $1,076 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.