Japan vs Malaysia - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Japan Malaysia
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1109
$818
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2719
$1932
🏠 One person rent
$500
$385
🏘️ Family rent
$826
$618
🍽️ Food expenses
$383
$288
🚐 Transport expenses
$129
$65.3
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1914
$919
💸 GDP per capita
$32487
$11874
😃 Human freedom index
8.6
7.11
❤️ Life expectancy
84
76.7
👮 Corruption perceptions index
71
52
🌐 English speaking %
28%
57.3%
🎓 Higher education
98
78
😀 Quality of life
90
68
🏙️ Population
124M
35.6M

The average cost of living in Japan ($1109) is 36% more expensive than in Malaysia ($818). Japan ranked 81st vs 127th for Malaysia in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.7 months in Japan compared to 1.1 months in Malaysia. Ranked 18th and 55th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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Prices in Japan vs Malaysia

We calculate prices for Japan and Malaysia as a population-weighted mean of 907 and 34 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

Japan Malaysia
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$6.36
$3.74
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$33.4
$23.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.84
$4.73
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.07
$4.35
 Cappuccino
$2.99
$3.06
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.16
$0.77
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$528
$474
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$347
$288
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1147
$830
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$693
$483
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$90.7
$33.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$140
$52
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$30.9
$27.1
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
1.98%
4.27%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5087
$2250
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2842
$1191
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.59
$0.81
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$59.9
$15.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$23.9
$8.29
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.05
$0.64
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.4
$2.03
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.4
$1.12
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.22
$1.51
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.01
$2.33
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.3
$13.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.17
$4.94
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$20
$9.24
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.53
$3.13
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.33
$1.78
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.67
$2.65
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.68
$1.54
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.55
$1.34
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.59
$1.51
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.55
$0.39
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.34
$1.14
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$8.67
$19.2
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.84
$2.98
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.74
$4.36
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$9.68
$4
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.41
$3.8
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.29
$1.64
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.53
$1.94
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$51.5
$40.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$11.7
$4.8
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$34.1
$24.6
💇 Haircut, simple
$15.4
$7.71
👖 Brand Jeans
$45
$62.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$56
$80.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$448
$233
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$13117
$8255

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in Japan vs Malaysia

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Cost of Living in Popular cities

In Japan

City Cost of living Population
Tokyo
$1679
14.3M
Yokohama
$1326
3.76M
Osaka
$1254
2.75M
Nagoya
$1141
2.33M
Kawasaki
$1358
1.54M
Sapporo
$1137
1.96M
Hiroshima
$842
1.2M
Kyoto
$1100
1.46M
Kobe
$1185
1.52M
Fukuoka
$1018
1.6M
Saitama
$1055
1.33M
Sagamihara
$978
726K
Sakai
$1099
824K
Hachioji
$1318
576K
Chiba
$1232
975K
Shizuoka
$895
686K
Kitakyushu
$1041
935K
Amagasaki
$1059
456K
Funabashi
$1119
641K
Sendai
$1007
1.06M
Yokosuka
$1120
390K
Kumamoto
$922
738K
Kawaguchi
$1045
594K
Machida
$1047
434K
Kagoshima
$951
594K
Himeji
$976
528K
Kashiwa
$1108
428K
Utsunomiya
$1063
518K
Niigata
$1018
791K
Hamamatsu
$995
788K

In Malaysia

City Cost of living Population
Kuala Lumpur
$992
9M
Shah Alam
$741
741K
Johor Bahru
$843
798K
George Town
$762
794K
Ipoh
$677
867K
Klang
$743
878K
Subang Jaya
$798
708K
Petaling Jaya
$783
639K
Kuantan
$576
608K
Sandakan
$583
396K
Kota Bharu
$531
491K
Seremban
$617
420K
Sungai Petani
$637
545K
Kota Kinabalu
$718
452K
Chukai
$621
256K
Muar
$759
357K
Teluk Intan
$678
233K
Malacca
$707
455K
Kuching
$698
325K
Miri
$688
235K
Kluang
$717
205K
Lahad Datu
$620
200K
Alor Setar
$545
217K
Taiping
$555
245K
Putrajaya
$610
109K
Kuala Terengganu
$550
255K
Sibu
$614
248K
Batu Pahat
$737
140K
Butterworth
$720
80.4K
Bintulu
$588
114K