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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,921 per month in Freetown vs $767 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,684 per month in Freetown vs $1,160 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,446 per month in Freetown vs $1,554 in Malacca, rent included.

Freetown costs about 150% 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

$3.09 SLL 70.3K

$3.58 MYR 14.66

-13.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.00 SLL 728.5K

$18.93 MYR 77.4

69.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 SLL 226.4K

$4.61 MYR 18.85

115.62%

Cappuccino

$1.70 SLL 38.7K

$2.86 MYR 11.72

-40.56%

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

$1.04 SLL 23.8K

$0.81 MYR 3.30

28.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 SLL 19.6K

$0.48 MYR 1.97

79.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 SLL 33.5K

$2.08 MYR 8.51

-29.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 SLL 63.7K

$3.14 MYR 12.82

-10.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 SLL 54.1K

$1.44 MYR 5.89

64.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 SLL 15.8K

$0.92 MYR 3.78

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 SLL 31.0K

$1.26 MYR 5.15

7.94%

Eggs

$1.99 SLL 45.2K

$1.80 MYR 7.36

10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 SLL 164.7K

$15.28 MYR 62.5

-52.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 SLL 171.1K

$5.10 MYR 20.86

47.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.28 SLL 120.3K

$11.19 MYR 45.76

-52.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 SLL 92.6K

$3.80 MYR 15.53

7.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SLL 44.4K

$1.50 MYR 6.15

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 SLL 17.0K

$2.59 MYR 10.58

-71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 SLL 114.6K

$2.03 MYR 8.30

147.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 SLL 44.3K

$1.52 MYR 6.22

27.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SLL 36.2K

$1.72 MYR 7.04

-7.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 SLL 22.1K

$1.27 MYR 5.19

-23.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SLL 31.6K

$0.56 MYR 2.29

148.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 SLL 69.8K

$4.30 MYR 17.59

-28.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 SLL 173.6K

$13.93 MYR 57.0

-45.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 SLL 25.5K

$2.00 MYR 8.20

-44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SLL 45.5K

$3.01 MYR 12.32

-33.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

$0.49 MYR 1.99

-2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 48.33

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 SLL 17.9K

$1.45 MYR 5.93

-45.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 SLL 27.9K

$1.00 MYR 4.08

23.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 SLL 111.9K

$5.85 MYR 23.95

-16.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 SLL 29.8K

$0.50 MYR 2.05

162.00%

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

$12.0K SLL 273.4M

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

-65.93%

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

$25.3K SLL 576.5M

$38.6K MYR 157.8K

-34.38%

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

$147 SLL 3.3M

$46.02 MYR 188

219.04%

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

$10.02 SLL 228.2K

$8.96 MYR 36.66

11.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 SLL 2.3M

$31.15 MYR 127

222.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.34 SLL 1.1M

$16.80 MYR 68.7

193.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.93 MYR 48.81

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 20.16

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

$185 MYR 758

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,959 MYR 28.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.98 SLL 227.1K

$66.0 MYR 270

-84.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.94 SLL 180.7K

$18.99 MYR 77.7

-58.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.15 SLL 458.7K

$74.2 MYR 304

-72.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 SLL 1.1M

$39.25 MYR 161

28.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 SLL 18.4M

$328 MYR 1,340

147.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 SLL 28.9M

$186 MYR 759

583.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 SLL 47.6M

$718 MYR 2,936

191.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 SLL 2.3M

$283 MYR 1,156

-64.34%

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)

$1,308 SLL 29.8M

$899 MYR 3,675

45.55%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Malacca: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $810 in Freetown 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 46% 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 – $234 in Freetown vs $253 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: $1,921 in Freetown, $767 in Malacca – roughly 150% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,882 per month in Freetown 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.

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 $1,921 in Freetown and $767 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 $767, than in Freetown at $1,921. 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 $767 in Malacca to $1,921 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.