Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaysia and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaysia and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $851 in Malaysia versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,296 in Malaysia versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,741 in Malaysia versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Malaysia is roughly 19% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Malaysia 37% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $535 to $1,206, compared to $654–$1,048 in Malaysia. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.54

$2.86 ¥19.36

25.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 MYR 94.9

$23.29 ¥158

0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.85

$4.83 ¥32.66

-3.73%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.22

$3.04 ¥20.52

-8.88%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$0.45 ¥3.03

77.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.27 ¥1.81

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.25

$0.99 ¥6.71

254.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 MYR 19.35

$2.03 ¥13.74

134.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.40

$1.75 ¥11.86

4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.12

$1.67 ¥11.31

-38.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.75

$0.97 ¥6.56

46.39%

Eggs

$1.99 MYR 8.07

$1.54 ¥10.45

29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 MYR 56.7

$13.30 ¥89.9

5.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 MYR 16.24

$3.21 ¥21.69

24.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 MYR 33.88

$10.79 ¥73.0

-22.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.32

$1.81 ¥12.27

54.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.78

$1.31 ¥8.84

9.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.48

$1.50 ¥10.15

72.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$1.14 ¥7.74

32.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$0.73 ¥4.90

52.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$0.87 ¥5.86

37.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.39

$0.57 ¥3.85

89.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.54 ¥3.63

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.30

$3.53 ¥23.88

20.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 MYR 79.8

$11.71 ¥79.2

67.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.69

$0.84 ¥5.67

242.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MYR 14.99

$1.67 ¥11.29

121.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.41 ¥2.75

65.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 48.68

$20.78 ¥141

-42.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.36 ¥9.21

-11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.33 ¥2.21

115.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 MYR 19.96

$6.86 ¥46.40

-28.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$1.12 ¥7.57

-55.36%

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

$40.8K MYR 165.6K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

112.85%

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

$31.4K MYR 127.3K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

85.57%

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

$50.9 MYR 207

$51.8 ¥350

-1.70%

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

$10.18 MYR 41.28

$9.85 ¥66.6

3.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.55 MYR 108

$11.13 ¥75.3

138.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.90 MYR 150

$39.10 ¥264

-5.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 MYR 27.11

$14.89 ¥101

-55.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MYR 18.84

$6.25 ¥42.24

-25.60%

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

$183 MYR 744

$404 ¥2,732

-54.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,890 MYR 27.9K

$17.8K ¥120.5K

-61.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 MYR 249

$46.11 ¥312

33.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.57 MYR 136

$32.27 ¥218

4.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 MYR 304

$72.7 ¥491

3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 MYR 264

$72.9 ¥493

-10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,580

$445 ¥3,009

-12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,089

$255 ¥1,727

5.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 MYR 2,917

$927 ¥6,266

-22.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 MYR 1,891

$532 ¥3,600

-12.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 MYR 7,832

$4,943 ¥33.4K

-60.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 MYR 4,550

$2,492 ¥16.9K

-54.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 MYR 3,752

$1,057 ¥7,148

-12.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.06

3.45%

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

Last update for Malaysia: June 6, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $365 in Malaysia, $286 in China. Capital cities: $579 in Kuala Lumpur vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $936 in Malaysia, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 28% higher in Malaysia.

Dining out costs 11% more in China.

Public transport is 38% more expensive in China.

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

Malaysia vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $871 per month in China and $851 in Malaysia, there's a 2% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Malaysia is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in China beats Malaysia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Malaysia, $1,500 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Malaysia wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.