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Cost of Living in Malaysia For Indian Students 2025: Is it expensive to live in Malaysia? The cost of living in Malaysia 2025 is cheaper as compared to other countries like the UK and USA. The average cost of living in Malaysia for a single person with rent is approximately Rs. 54, 200 per month. On average, the cost of living in Malaysia for students is approximately 40.6% higher than in India. For exact idea, the cost of living in Malaysia for Indian students in 2025 is Rs 39,308 (MYR 2,256.9) per month on average. This amount does not include the house rent. Malaysia is one of the most economically viable countries for students seeking education at an international level. The cost of living in Malaysia 2025 for other cities fluctuates around this range, depending on the city of study in Malaysia. The primary categories that constitute the overall cost of living in Malaysia for Indian students include accommodation, food, transportation, health, clothing, and other miscellaneous. The Malaysia cost of living compared to India is slightly expensive.
There are many factors impacting the cost of living in Malaysia for indian students 2025. These factors include location, accommodation, food, transportation, internet, and many more that majorly make up the Malaysia cost of living 2025. Understanding these elements helps in budgeting and financial planning. Here are some of the significant factors that impact the cost of living in Malaysia for Indian students. We will discuss these in the major headings below:
There are many factors due to which the overall living expenses in Malaysia can vary for international students. Mainly, the cost of living in Malaysia depends on an individual's lifestyle and choices. However, other major components are important as well. Malaysia's monthly expenses are mentioned below:
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Let us now understand the major components ofthe cost of living in Malaysia 2025 in below headings:
Expense Item | Cost of living in Malaysia per month |
Accommodation | MYR 1,570 |
Food expenses | MYR 100-150 |
Transportation | MYR 60-100 |
Utility costs | MYR 150-250 |
Miscellaneous | MYR 150-200 |
Living cost in Malaysia for Indian students in terms of rent must be budgeted beforehand for right financial planning. Accommodation and housing rent are one of the major components contributing to the cost of living in Malaysia for Indian students 2025. Rent and residential costs are staggeringly lower than those in other popular student cities around the world. Using the Malaysian Ringgit as the standard currency basis, the rent for a single-bedroom flat in Malaysia is approximately MYR 1,570.91 for an apartment in the city centre. Therefore, the cost of living in Malaysia 2025 in terms of rent and residential costs is much lower than that in other countries.
Accommodation | Cost in MYR |
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 1,570.91 |
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,124.76 |
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 2,833.04 |
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 1,873.50 |
Food is another living cost in Malaysia for indian students that students must budget for. The Malaysia food price varies slightly with the city of residence in Malaysia. Where larger cities like Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur are more expensive in terms of food and groceries, smaller cities like Bangi are more economically viable for students seeking education in Malaysia. The living expenses in Malaysia for food can be further reduced by purchasing groceries and cooking at home.
Particulars | Costs |
Milk (regular), (1 liter) | MYR 7.15 |
Rice (white), (1kg) | MYR 5.46 |
Eggs (regular) (12) | MYR 8.55 |
Apples (1kg) | MYR 11.05 |
Banana (1kg) | MYR 5.50 |
Oranges (1kg) | MYR 11.40 |
Tomato (1kg) | MYR 5.73 |
Potato (1kg) | MYR 3.72 |
Onion (1kg) | MYR 4.45 |
Lettuce (1 head) | MYR 4.26 |
Water (1.5-litre bottle) | MYR 2.48 |
Travel expenses in living cost in Malaysia for indian students generally require that the university is far away from the housing. Transportation costs are low and public transportation is highly economical for students who want to study in Malaysia. The cost of living in Malaysia in rupees 2025 involved in public transportation is very low and can be further reduced for students through discounts and monthly passes.
Particulars | Cost MYR |
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 |
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 50.00 |
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 4.00 |
Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) | 3.00 |
Gasoline (1 liter) | 2.05 |
The cost of living in Malaysia 2025 is relatively cheaper than many other popular student cities around the world but in terms of clothing, Malaysia is not far behind. The cost of basic clothing items from chain stores ranges from MYR 100 – 300 varying slightly with the city of study in Malaysia. Some of the average prices in the top student cities in Malaysia are given below.
Items | Cost in MYR |
1 Pair of Jeans | 241.76 |
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store | 132.21 |
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 305.13 |
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 269.55 |
Items | Cost in MYR |
Fitness Club | 156 |
Electricity, water, etc. | 210 |
Internet | 116 |
Mobile plan | 42 |
Cinema | 18 |
Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is one of the best best student city in the world as per the 2025 QS Best Student Cities Ranking. Apart from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is home to many other cities with some of the best educational institutions in the world.
The details of cities and their average cost of living in Malaysia for international students in these cities are given below:
Top cities in Malaysia | Cost of living in Malaysia per month (without rent) |
Kuala Lumpur | MYR 2,596.9 |
Penang | MYR 2,409.6 |
Johor Bahru | MYR 2,109 |
Bangi | MYR 2,050 |
Petaling Jaya | MYR 2,126 |
Cost of living in Malaysia as compared to India per month is expensive. Starting from food to groceries, and consumer prices, their prices in Malaysia are higher from 40.4% in India. Let us now understand in detail the living cost in Malaysia for indian students vs the expenses in India:
Expense Item | Cost of living in Malaysia per month | Costs in India per Month |
Accommodation | MYR 1,570 | Rs. 5,000-15,000 |
Food expenses | MYR 100-150 | Rs. 500-2000 |
Transportation | MYR 60-100 | Rs. 1,000-3,000 |
Utility costs | MYR 150-250 | Rs. 8,000 |
Miscellaneous | MYR 150-200 | Rs. 1000 |
Note: Malaysia cost of living compared to India is in approx figures
Living Cost in Malaysia for Indian Students in Major Cities: Malaysia is known for an affordable yet modern lifestyle. Being familiar with the cost of living in Malaysia for indian students 2025 is a great way to make financial and admission decisions. More crucially, the cost of living in Malaysia by city can help student to decide a university based on their location. The Malaysia cost of living 2025 varies significantly across cities, influenced by factors such as accommodation, travel, food, utilities, and more. Here are the monthly expenses in Malaysia for international students 2025:
City | Average Monthly Cost of Living in Malaysia |
Kuala Lumpur | MYR 4,500–MYR 7,000 |
Penang | MYR 3,000–MYR 5,000 |
Johor Bahru | MYR 3,200–MYR 5,500 |
Kota Kinabalu | MYR 3,000–MYR 4,500 |
Ipoh | MYR 2,500–MYR 4,000 |
Source: Numbeo, Malaysian Department of Statistics, iProperty Malaysia (2025).
While living in international places like Malaysia, using some small money tips has a major impact on the candidate's budget. This small amount of money can be useful in spending the living expenses in Malaysia for international or Indian students. A few of them are listed below.
Shop the groceries at discounted prices: When the products are before expiry within 2 to 3 days they are kept up to 80% discount in the supermarkets.
Keep track of the expenses: Use an app or maintain notes to track all your expenses to estimate the salary expenditure.
Do not ignore the change, try to save the small change in a piggy bank or box which Is often left in the racks, and stuck in sofa seats.
Use public transport systems like buses, trains, and ride-sharing options to cut your costs in transportation.
Student Discounts: Use student discounts on transportation, entertainment, and even shopping using your student ID.
Malaysia is one of the top international hubs for education, especially in the domain of Engineering and Technology. But the primary reason why Malaysia is one of the most sought-after student destinations in the world is due to the cheap cost of living in Malaysia.
Programmes | Fees |
Undergraduate | MYR 54014 - MYR 733773 |
Postgraduate | MYR 34331 - MYR 47297 |
Some affordable universities in Malaysia are mentioned below. These offer the cheap cost of living in Malaysia for Indian students, including:
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)
Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)
Malaysian institutions offer some of the world's best engineering and technology, as well as social science and management programmes. In particular, education and engineering are some of the best programs for masters in Malaysia. Malaysian institutions like University Malaya and University Sains Malaysia are also some of the top universities in the world in many domains. Some of the top universities in Malaysia as well as the best areas of study they offer are given below.
Best Universities in Malaysia
University Name | University Tuition Fees |
Universiti Malaya (UM) | MYR 7,078.22 |
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) | MYR 3,437.50- 6,250.00 |
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) | MYR 17,360.16 |
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) | MYR 11,400 |
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | MYR 7,600 |
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As Indian students seeking studies in Malaysia universities and colleges, students must budget enough money to cover the Malaysia monthly expenses. The average cost of living in Malaysia for Indian students is Rs 39,308 (MYR 2,256.9) per month without rent, according to Numbeo's recent statistics 2025.
In comparison with India, Malaysia is generally more expensive. It is still an affordable destination compared to many Western countries for Indian students looking to study abroad 2025. On average, the cost of living in Malaysia is about 33% higher than in India. Also, housing rent in Malaysia is 27% more expensive than in India.
Yes, MYR 5,000 is generally enough to cover the Malaysia monthly expenses 2025, especially for international students or a single person. However, the expenses depend on the location of the university, lifestyle and choices. Moreover, several metropolitan cities such as Kuala Lumpur are slightly expensive, where 5,000 MYR allows for a moderate lifestyle. On the other hand, cities such as Johor Bahru or Penang can offer cheaper Malaysia monthly expenses.
A livable salary in Malaysia depends on the city and lifestyle, but generally, a comfortable income for a single person ranges from RM4,000 to RM6,000 per month. There are several factors that affects the overall livable salary in Malaysia, including city, location, food costs, and more.
Correct Answer: Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan
Solution : The correct answer is Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan.
The four Asian Tigers or The four Asian Dragons are the four developed East Asian Economies. They are Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan. They are characterised by highly free market and developed economies in the Asian Region. They witnessed rapid industrialisation and they grew more than 70% between 1960-1970.
Correct Answer: JXIXVPFX
Solution : Given:
INDIA : FKAFX :: ESTONIA : BPQLKFX:: MALAYSIA :?
Subtract 3 from the positional value of INDIA, to obtain the required code –
I – 3 = F; N – 3 = K; D – 3 = A; I – 3 = F; A – 3 = X
Thus, INDIA is coded as FKAFX.
And in, ESTONIA : BPQLKFX –
E – 3 = B; S – 3 = P; T – 3 = Q; O – 3 = L; N – 3 = K; I – 3 = F; A – 3 = X
Thus, ESTONIA is coded as BPQLKFX.
Similarly, follow the same pattern for MALAYSIA :? –
M – 3 = J; A – 3 = X; L – 3 = I; A – 3 = X; Y – 3 = V; S – 3 = P; I – 3 = F; A – 3 = X
Thus, MALAYSIA is coded as JXIXVPFX. Hence, the fourth option is correct.
Correct Answer: Brazil
Solution : The correct choice is the third option.
As stated in the paragraph, in 2020–21, India started to export non-basmati rice to nine countries, among which Brazil is among the options, making it the appropriate choice.
Correct Answer: Kuwait
Solution : The correct choice is the fourth option.
The penultimate passage of the paragraph lists the top ten countries that export basmati rice from India, in which only Kuwait is present among the given options, making it the correct choice for the asked question.
Correct Answer: Afghanistan, Pakistan anf Iran
Solution : The correct option is Afghanistan, Pakistan anf Iran.
Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan are the nations known as 'The Golden Crescent' in the context of the world's largest opium business. These nations are notable for extensive opium poppy cultivation and the manufacture of illegal drugs, mainly heroin. The name is sometimes used to draw similarities with 'The Golden Triangle,' which encompasses Southeast Asian countries with similar drug-related problems.
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