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

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

A family of three spends $1,531 per month in Malacca vs $2,064 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.05

$6.90 R 113

-48.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 MYR 73.9

$31.33 R 514

-40.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 18.90

$4.61 R 75.6

3.69%

Cappuccino

$2.90 MYR 11.44

$2.02 R 33.20

43.56%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.11

$0.99 R 16.18

-20.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.88 R 14.36

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 MYR 8.49

$2.57 R 42.20

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 MYR 12.19

$3.02 R 49.45

2.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MYR 5.86

$1.07 R 17.54

38.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.70

$0.90 R 14.77

4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.96 R 32.16

-34.18%

Eggs

$1.81 MYR 7.14

$2.13 R 35.00

-15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 MYR 60.7

$9.30 R 152

65.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 MYR 20.53

$4.06 R 66.6

28.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 MYR 43.97

$7.35 R 121

51.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 MYR 14.35

$1.58 R 25.84

129.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.75

$2.15 R 35.30

-32.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.51

$1.39 R 22.76

91.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 7.84

$1.48 R 24.32

33.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.80

$1.49 R 24.37

-1.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.82

$1.42 R 23.32

21.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$1.06 R 17.38

18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.21

$0.92 R 15.10

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.05

$2.62 R 42.98

64.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 MYR 56.7

$4.75 R 77.9

202.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 MYR 8.04

$1.76 R 28.81

15.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.54

$2.53 R 41.46

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.73 R 11.96

-34.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.71 MYR 46.25

$21.51 R 353

-45.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MYR 5.49

$1.09 R 17.94

27.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$0.94 R 15.35

4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 23.87

$4.06 R 66.6

48.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$1.28 R 20.93

-63.28%

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

$35.7K MYR 141.2K

$35.7K R 585.8K

0.07%

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

$39.1K MYR 154.6K

$21.9K R 358.8K

78.96%

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

$46.28 MYR 183

$198 R 3,243

-76.60%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.14

$30.90 R 507

-70.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.14 MYR 123

$45.08 R 739

-30.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.68 MYR 65.9

$33.27 R 546

-49.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.65 MYR 46.00

$1.42 R 23.33

720.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.28

$3.66 R 60.0

33.33%

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

$191 MYR 753

$119 R 1,957

59.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,891 MYR 27.2K

$4,233 R 69.4K

62.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 260

$51.8 R 850

27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.59 MYR 73.4

$28.88 R 474

-35.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 MYR 283

$105 R 1,725

-31.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.54 MYR 160

$85.2 R 1,396

-52.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 MYR 1,316

$270 R 4,432

23.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 MYR 746

$297 R 4,867

-36.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 MYR 2,746

$509 R 8,351

36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 MYR 1,107

$544 R 8,922

-48.49%

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)

$926 MYR 3,656

$1,685 R 27.6K

-45.08%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for East London: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Malacca versus $270 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 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 $19 in Malacca versus $31 in East London. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Malacca vs $186 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: $772 in Malacca, $1,076 in East London – roughly 39% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,158 per month in Malacca and $1,614 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 $191 per month in Malacca and $119 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 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 $772 in Malacca and $1,076 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 $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.