Cost of Living Comparison Between Malacca and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Malacca and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $767 per month in Malacca vs $1,061 in East London, rent included.

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

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

Malacca is about 28% cheaper than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.66

$6.54 R 108

-45.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.93 MYR 77.4

$31.41 R 518

-39.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.85

$4.60 R 75.9

0.22%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.72

$2.12 R 34.98

34.91%

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

$0.81 MYR 3.30

$0.95 R 15.73

-14.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$0.82 R 13.59

-41.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 MYR 8.51

$2.46 R 40.53

-15.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 MYR 12.82

$3.00 R 49.53

4.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MYR 5.89

$1.07 R 17.65

34.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.78

$0.89 R 14.64

3.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.15

$2.00 R 33.03

-37.00%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$2.02 R 33.37

-10.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.28 MYR 62.5

$9.58 R 158

59.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 MYR 20.86

$4.22 R 69.6

20.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 MYR 45.76

$7.62 R 126

46.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 MYR 15.53

$1.58 R 26.00

140.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.15

$2.08 R 34.34

-27.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.58

$1.37 R 22.65

89.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.30

$1.47 R 24.31

38.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.22

$1.51 R 24.89

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.04

$1.45 R 23.92

18.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MYR 5.19

$1.05 R 17.36

20.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.92 R 15.22

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.59

$2.73 R 45.06

57.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 MYR 57.0

$4.97 R 82.0

180.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 MYR 8.20

$1.71 R 28.16

16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.32

$2.63 R 43.35

14.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.69 R 11.33

-28.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 48.33

$21.69 R 358

-45.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$1.09 R 18.01

33.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 4.08

$0.88 R 14.60

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 MYR 23.95

$3.99 R 65.9

46.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.22 R 20.19

-59.02%

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

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

$35.9K R 592.4K

-1.78%

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

$38.6K MYR 157.8K

$22.5K R 371.6K

71.38%

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

$46.02 MYR 188

$195 R 3,216

-76.38%

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

$8.96 MYR 36.66

$30.31 R 500

-70.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.15 MYR 127

$44.92 R 741

-30.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.80 MYR 68.7

$33.67 R 556

-50.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.93 MYR 48.81

$1.44 R 23.79

728.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 20.16

$3.73 R 61.5

32.17%

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

$185 MYR 758

$120 R 1,978

54.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,959 MYR 28.5K

$4,220 R 69.7K

64.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 270

$51.7 R 853

27.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.99 MYR 77.7

$29.20 R 482

-34.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 304

$108 R 1,782

-31.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.25 MYR 161

$84.5 R 1,395

-53.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 MYR 1,340

$268 R 4,420

22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 MYR 759

$298 R 4,910

-37.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 MYR 2,936

$505 R 8,335

42.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 MYR 1,156

$552 R 9,109

-48.80%

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)

$899 MYR 3,675

$1,676 R 27.7K

-46.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

-63.00%

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

Last update for Malacca: July 13, 2026

Last update for East London: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Malacca versus $268 in East London. 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 $19.00 in Malacca versus $31.00 in East London. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Malacca vs $188 in East London – 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

Malacca vs East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $767 in Malacca, $1,061 in East London – roughly 38% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,151 per month in Malacca and $1,592 in East London. 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 $185 per month in Malacca and $120 in East London. 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 $767 in Malacca and $1,061 in East London, 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.