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 $1,061 per month in East London vs $767 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in East London vs $1,160 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,104 per month in East London vs $1,554 in Malacca, rent included.

East London costs about 38% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both East London and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – East London 21% lower, Malacca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 R 108

$3.58 MYR 14.66

82.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 R 518

$18.93 MYR 77.4

65.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 R 75.9

$4.61 MYR 18.85

-0.22%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.98

$2.86 MYR 11.72

-25.87%

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

$0.95 R 15.73

$0.81 MYR 3.30

17.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.59

$0.48 MYR 1.97

70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 R 40.53

$2.08 MYR 8.51

18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R 49.53

$3.14 MYR 12.82

-4.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.65

$1.44 MYR 5.89

-25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 R 14.64

$0.92 MYR 3.78

-3.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 R 33.03

$1.26 MYR 5.15

58.73%

Eggs

$2.02 R 33.37

$1.80 MYR 7.36

12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 R 158

$15.28 MYR 62.5

-37.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 R 69.6

$5.10 MYR 20.86

-17.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 R 126

$11.19 MYR 45.76

-31.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.00

$3.80 MYR 15.53

-58.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 R 34.34

$1.50 MYR 6.15

38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.65

$2.59 MYR 10.58

-47.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.31

$2.03 MYR 8.30

-27.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.89

$1.52 MYR 6.22

-0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.92

$1.72 MYR 7.04

-15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.36

$1.27 MYR 5.19

-17.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.22

$0.56 MYR 2.29

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 R 45.06

$4.30 MYR 17.59

-36.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 R 82.0

$13.93 MYR 57.0

-64.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 28.16

$2.00 MYR 8.20

-14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R 43.35

$3.01 MYR 12.32

-12.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 R 11.33

$0.49 MYR 1.99

40.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.69 R 358

$11.82 MYR 48.33

83.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.01

$1.45 MYR 5.93

-24.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R 14.60

$1.00 MYR 4.08

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 R 65.9

$5.85 MYR 23.95

-31.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R 20.19

$0.50 MYR 2.05

144.00%

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

$35.9K R 592.4K

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

1.81%

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

$22.5K R 371.6K

$38.6K MYR 157.8K

-41.65%

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

$195 R 3,216

$46.02 MYR 188

323.38%

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

$30.31 R 500

$8.96 MYR 36.66

238.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.92 R 741

$31.15 MYR 127

44.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.67 R 556

$16.80 MYR 68.7

100.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.44 R 23.79

$11.93 MYR 48.81

-87.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.73 R 61.5

$4.93 MYR 20.16

-24.34%

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

$120 R 1,978

$185 MYR 758

-35.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,220 R 69.7K

$6,959 MYR 28.5K

-39.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R 853

$66.0 MYR 270

-21.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 R 482

$18.99 MYR 77.7

53.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 R 1,782

$74.2 MYR 304

45.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 R 1,395

$39.25 MYR 161

115.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 R 4,420

$328 MYR 1,340

-18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 R 4,910

$186 MYR 759

60.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 R 8,335

$718 MYR 2,936

-29.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R 9,109

$283 MYR 1,156

95.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 MYR 8,462

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 MYR 4,731

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,676 R 27.7K

$899 MYR 3,675

86.50%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Malacca: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in East London versus $328 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 86% 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 – $188 in East London vs $253 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: $1,061 in East London, $767 in Malacca – roughly 38% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,592 per month in East London and $1,151 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 $185 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 $1,061 in East London and $767 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 $767 in Malacca to $1,061 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.