Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Malacca Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Malacca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,932 per month in Freetown vs $760 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Freetown vs $1,153 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,451 per month in Freetown vs $1,546 in Malacca, rent included.

Freetown costs about 154% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Freetown sits 44% above the global median, while Malacca is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 SLL 68.1K

$3.59 MYR 14.25

-16.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.02 SLL 729.2K

$18.74 MYR 74.3

70.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 SLL 224.5K

$4.63 MYR 18.35

112.96%

Cappuccino

$1.78 SLL 40.5K

$3.00 MYR 11.90

-40.67%

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

$1.06 SLL 24.1K

$0.85 MYR 3.37

24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 SLL 19.3K

$0.46 MYR 1.81

84.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 SLL 33.5K

$2.07 MYR 8.22

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 SLL 62.6K

$3.24 MYR 12.87

-15.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 SLL 53.7K

$1.50 MYR 5.93

57.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SLL 14.5K

$1.00 MYR 3.97

-36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 SLL 31.2K

$1.29 MYR 5.10

6.20%

Eggs

$2.05 SLL 46.8K

$1.80 MYR 7.15

13.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SLL 157.6K

$15.69 MYR 62.2

-55.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 SLL 171.2K

$5.03 MYR 19.94

49.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 SLL 116.9K

$11.27 MYR 44.67

-54.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 SLL 88.5K

$3.59 MYR 14.22

8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 SLL 45.2K

$1.46 MYR 5.81

36.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 SLL 16.9K

$2.54 MYR 10.05

-70.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 SLL 112.1K

$1.94 MYR 7.70

153.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 SLL 46.1K

$1.48 MYR 5.85

37.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SLL 36.4K

$1.76 MYR 6.97

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 SLL 22.1K

$1.29 MYR 5.11

-24.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SLL 32.7K

$0.51 MYR 2.04

182.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 SLL 69.9K

$4.19 MYR 16.61

-26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 SLL 170.4K

$14.57 MYR 57.8

-48.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 SLL 25.6K

$2.08 MYR 8.25

-46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SLL 46.9K

$2.92 MYR 11.59

-29.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 SLL 10.1K

$0.45 MYR 1.78

-2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.55 MYR 45.80

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 SLL 16.2K

$1.43 MYR 5.67

-50.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 SLL 28.9K

$1.00 MYR 3.95

27.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 SLL 112.6K

$5.86 MYR 23.25

-15.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 SLL 30.6K

$0.47 MYR 1.86

187.23%

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

$11.8K SLL 267.9M

$34.7K MYR 137.7K

-66.14%

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

$25.3K SLL 576.8M

$39.1K MYR 155.2K

-35.29%

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

$147 SLL 3.3M

$46.04 MYR 183

218.68%

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

$9.83 SLL 223.9K

$8.98 MYR 35.60

9.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 SLL 2.3M

$31.41 MYR 125

224.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.36 SLL 1.1M

$16.42 MYR 65.1

200.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 MYR 47.19

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MYR 19.58

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

$190 MYR 752

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,049 MYR 28.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.06 SLL 229.2K

$64.3 MYR 255

-84.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.09 SLL 184.2K

$18.57 MYR 73.7

-56.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.15 SLL 458.9K

$74.1 MYR 294

-72.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.30 SLL 1.1M

$39.98 MYR 159

23.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 SLL 18.5M

$331 MYR 1,313

144.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 SLL 29.0M

$189 MYR 751

572.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 SLL 47.9M

$697 MYR 2,765

201.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.1 SLL 2.2M

$286 MYR 1,132

-65.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,994 MYR 7,905

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$979 MYR 3,881

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 SLL 30.4M

$933 MYR 3,699

43.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

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

Last update for Freetown: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malacca: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $810 in Freetown 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 43% higher in Freetown, 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 $32.00 in Freetown versus $19.00 in Malacca. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Freetown vs $255 in Malacca – so Freetown 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

Freetown vs Malacca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,932 in Freetown, $760 in Malacca – roughly 154% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,899 per month in Freetown 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Freetown and $19.00 in Malacca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,932 in Freetown and $760 in Malacca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malacca, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Freetown at $1,932. In Malacca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Freetown has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $760 in Malacca to $1,932 in Freetown. 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, Freetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.