Malaysia vs South Africa - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Malaysia South Africa
🚶 Cost of living one person
$694
$1016
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1625
$2301
🏠 One person rent
$319
$520
🏘️ Family rent
$511
$843
🍽️ Food expenses
$262
$290
🚐 Transport expenses
$41.5
$120
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$804
$1121
💸 GDP per capita
$11867
$6253
😃 Human freedom index
7.06
7.1
❤️ Life expectancy
76.7
66.1
👮 Corruption perceptions index
50
41
🌐 English speaking %
57.3%
31%
🎓 Higher education
78
82
😀 Quality of life
63
40
🏙️ Population
35.6M
64M

The average cost of living in Malaysia ($694) is 32% less expensive than in South Africa ($1016). Malaysia ranked 149th vs 94th for South Africa in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.2 months in Malaysia compared to 1.1 months in South Africa. Ranked 61st and 128th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Malaysia vs South Africa infographic

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Prices in Malaysia vs South Africa

We calculate prices for Malaysia and South Africa as a population-weighted mean of 34 and 36 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.

Malaysia South Africa
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$3.21
$9.29
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$19.3
$37.7
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.3
$4.92
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.97
$2.37
 Cappuccino
$2.69
$2.1
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.73
$1.09
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$359
$518
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$237
$376
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$630
$933
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$412
$746
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$29.8
$75.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$45.8
$117
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$27.9
$40.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.24%
11.51%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1684
$1209
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1051
$891
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.76
$2.01
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$16.7
$46.6
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$6.77
$10.7
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.5
$1.27
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.78
$1.18
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$0.99
$1.01
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.3
$1.56
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.06
$2.45
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.6
$8.66
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.29
$5.01
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.88
$7.26
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.81
$1.67
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.5
$1.6
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.74
$1.62
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.58
$1.65
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.2
$1.35
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.31
$1.41
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.37
$0.68
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.08
$1.44
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$18.4
$5.62
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.81
$1.42
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.13
$3.01
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.84
$5.02
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.63
$3.6
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.47
$1.86
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.65
$1.35
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$33.8
$32.7
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$4.33
$6.96
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$22.1
$29.6
💇 Haircut, simple
$5.79
$6.48
👖 Brand Jeans
$60.6
$52.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$69.7
$96.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$178
$201
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$6210
$4714

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in Malaysia vs South Africa

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In Malaysia

City Cost of living Population
Kuala Lumpur
$866
1.98M
Ipoh
$657
867K
Johor Bahru
$789
798K
Klang
$704
878K
George Town
$754
794K
Subang Jaya
$789
708K
Shah Alam
$681
741K
Petaling Jaya
$731
639K
Kuantan
$552
608K
Kota Bharu
$517
491K
Sandakan
$518
396K
Kota Kinabalu
$687
452K
Seremban
$643
420K
Sungai Petani
$653
545K
Alor Setar
$509
217K
Muar
$771
315K
Kuching
$642
325K
Teluk Intan
$654
233K
Malacca
$689
455K
Chukai
$598
256K
Miri
$658
235K
Kluang
$771
205K
Lahad Datu
$556
200K
Taiping
$552
245K
Kuala Terengganu
$534
255K
Sibu
$592
248K
Batu Pahat
$788
140K
Putrajaya
$584
109K
Tawau
$578
114K
Butterworth
$701
80.4K

In South Africa

City Cost of living Population
Johannesburg
$1082
4.43M
Soweto
$984
1.27M
Cape Town
$1231
3.78M
Pretoria
$975
742K
Pietermaritzburg
$705
839K
Rustenburg
$940
550K
Durban
$892
595K
Centurion
$892
237K
Sandton
$984
222K
Randburg
$890
337K
East London
$784
267K
Kimberley
$861
225K
Benoni
$826
159K
George
$857
157K
Klerksdorp
$762
187K
Springs
$740
122K
Kroonstad
$808
169K
Paarl
$1243
112K
Potchefstroom
$731
149K
Vereeniging
$706
99K
Middelburg
$830
87.3K
Makhanda
$814
67.3K
Uitenhage
$946
104K
Worcester
$666
97.1K
Vanderbijlpark
$799
95.8K
Port Elizabeth
$1005
312K
Upington
$746
121K
Mthatha
$901
96.1K
Bloemfontein
$698
256K
Komani
$988
68.9K