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Cost of Living in Malaysia for Indian Students 2024
Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on May 21, 2024 05:25 PM IST
Is it expensive to live in Malaysia? The cost of living in Malaysia is cheap 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.
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The primary factors contributing to the increased cost of living in Malaysia for single person includes the type of housing selected and the cost of attending university. The average monthly accommodation in Malaysia rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in the city centre is around MYR 1,570. Whereas, the tuition fees in top universities in Malaysia range between MYR 3,000-17,000. Candidates planning to study in Malaysia should always have a good idea of their living expenses before departing.
Read the full article to learn more about the cost of living in Malaysia in 2024 for Indian students.
Cost of Living in Malaysia for International Students
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 |
1. Cost to study in Malaysia
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.
Tuition Fees in Malaysia for International Students
Programmes | Fees |
Undergraduate | MYR 54014 - MYR 733773 |
Postgraduate | MYR 34331 - MYR 47297 |
Top Affordable Universities in Malaysia
Some affordable universities in Malaysia include:
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)
2. Accommodation Cost in Malaysia
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 in terms of rent and residential costs is much lower than that in other countries.
Cost of Living in Malaysia Rent
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 |
3. Cost of Food in Malaysia
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.
Food Expenses in Malaysia
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 liter bottle) | MYR 2.48 |
4. Malaysia Travel Cost
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 involved in public transportation is very low and can be further reduced for students through discounts and monthly passes.
Transportation Cost in Malaysia
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 |
5. Clothing Expenses in Malaysia
The cost of living in Malaysia 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.
Clothing Costs in Malaysia
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 |
6. Miscellaneous Costs in Malaysia
Items | Cost in MYR |
Fitness Club | 156 |
Electricity, water, etc. | 210 |
Internet | 116 |
Mobile plan | 42 |
Cinema | 18 |
Top Student Cities for Education in Malaysia
Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is the 24th best student city in the world as per the 2024 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.
Top Student Cities in Malaysia for International Students
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 vs India
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.
Cost of Living Malaysia VS 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 |
Tips to Save Money in Malaysia
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.
Top Universities in Malaysia - Estimated Costs of Attendance 2024
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 | QS World University Rankings 2024 | University Tuition Fees |
Universiti Malaya (UM) | 65 | MYR 7,078.22 |
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) | 137 | MYR 3,437.50- 6,250.00 |
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) | 158 | MYR 17,360.16 |
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) | 159 | MYR 11,400 |
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | 188 | MYR 7,600 |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Correct Answer: Kuwait
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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.
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