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: $852 in Malaysia versus $711 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,297 in Malaysia versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,741 in Malaysia versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Malaysia is roughly 20% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Malaysia 36% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $525 to $1,220, compared to $639–$1,059 in Malaysia. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.30

$2.75 ¥18.83

31.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.88 MYR 94.3

$24.03 ¥165

-0.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 18.88

$4.96 ¥33.95

-3.63%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MYR 10.58

$3.12 ¥21.37

-14.10%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.18

$0.48 ¥3.26

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.68

$0.27 ¥1.84

55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.59

$0.98 ¥6.73

251.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MYR 18.22

$2.15 ¥14.69

114.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.09

$1.83 ¥12.53

-1.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.68 ¥11.54

-41.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.52

$0.91 ¥6.21

53.85%

Eggs

$2.09 MYR 8.26

$1.56 ¥10.66

33.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 MYR 53.6

$12.97 ¥88.9

4.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 MYR 16.30

$3.25 ¥22.23

27.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 MYR 34.18

$10.51 ¥72.0

-17.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$1.81 ¥12.41

59.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 5.88

$1.30 ¥8.90

14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.49

$1.50 ¥10.26

77.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.76

$1.15 ¥7.87

26.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.44

$0.76 ¥5.20

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$0.89 ¥6.07

39.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$0.58 ¥3.97

77.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.28

$0.58 ¥3.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MYR 16.90

$3.50 ¥23.95

22.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.83 MYR 78.3

$11.55 ¥79.1

71.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.08

$0.78 ¥5.31

260.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MYR 14.53

$1.61 ¥11.03

128.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.44 ¥3.01

65.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 46.87

$21.15 ¥145

-43.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$1.36 ¥9.35

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 MYR 3.02

$0.36 ¥2.44

111.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 MYR 19.81

$6.61 ¥45.28

-24.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$1.13 ¥7.74

-56.64%

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

$40.4K MYR 159.5K

$19.7K ¥135.2K

104.56%

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

$31.6K MYR 124.7K

$17.1K ¥117.0K

84.82%

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

$50.2 MYR 198

$50.9 ¥349

-1.39%

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

$10.03 MYR 39.61

$10.03 ¥68.7

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 MYR 105

$11.33 ¥77.6

135.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.91 MYR 146

$40.13 ¥275

-8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.83 MYR 26.97

$14.97 ¥103

-54.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 MYR 18.14

$6.09 ¥41.74

-24.63%

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

$182 MYR 718

$418 ¥2,860

-56.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,885 MYR 27.2K

$17.3K ¥118.2K

-60.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 MYR 235

$46.40 ¥318

28.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.90 MYR 134

$32.92 ¥226

2.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 MYR 302

$71.1 ¥487

7.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 MYR 257

$72.9 ¥499

-10.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,540

$438 ¥3,003

-11.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,078

$259 ¥1,775

5.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 MYR 2,882

$926 ¥6,341

-21.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,848

$548 ¥3,754

-14.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,189 MYR 8,646

$5,047 ¥34.6K

-56.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 MYR 4,721

$2,666 ¥18.3K

-55.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$947 MYR 3,739

$1,074 ¥7,357

-11.87%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $366 in Malaysia, $286 in China. Capital cities: $563 in Kuala Lumpur vs $886 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $921 in Malaysia, $834 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.

Salaries are 10% higher in Malaysia.

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 $873 per month in China and $849 in Malaysia, there's a 3% 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.