Overview At a Glance Cost of Living Safety Cities Healthcare Environment FAQ Before You Go

Malaysia🇲🇾

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At a Glance

How Malaysia compares across key indices

Cost of Living

32 vs NYC

100 = NYC

Safety Index

91/100

Healthcare

64/100

Quality of Life

172/200

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Cost of Living

How far your money goes in Malaysia

Cost of Living

100 = NYC baseline

Rent Index

100 = NYC rent

Groceries

100 = NYC groceries

Restaurant Prices

100 = NYC dining

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Compare Malaysia

Side-by-side comparison with another country

Safety & Crime

Low Risk

How safe residents feel in Malaysia - based on surveys of people living there

Safety Index

91/100

Crime Index

3/100

Lower is better

Walking Safety

Daytime100

Nighttime100

0 point drop from day to night

Cities in Malaysia

Malaysia has 355 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $678 in Teluk Intan to $823 in Kuala Lumpur. Teluk Intan leads on safety, scoring 92/100. Klang ranks highest for quality of life at 179/200.

💸Most Affordable

Teluk Intan

$678/mo

Safest

Teluk Intan

92/100

Best Quality of Life

Klang

179/200

Best Healthcare

Kuala Lumpur

76/100

City filter

Featured

Curated and popular cities first.

40 of 355 shown

City	Monthly Cost	Safety	Quality of Life	Healthcare	Pollution
Kuala Lumpur	$823	86/100	176/200	76/100	41
Johor Bahru	$722	89/100	177/200	69/100	36
Kampung Baru Subang	$720	89/100	177/200	69/100	35
Petaling Jaya	$720	89/100	178/200	69/100	35
Ipoh	$718	89/100	178/200	69/100	35
Shah Alam	$717	89/100	178/200	68/100	35
Subang Jaya	$715	89/100	178/200	68/100	35
Bukit Rahman Putra	$710	90/100	178/200	68/100	34
Pelentong	$709	90/100	178/200	68/100	34
Malacca	$709	90/100	178/200	68/100	34
Iskandar Puteri	$709	90/100	178/200	68/100	34
Kota Bharu	$708	90/100	178/200	68/100	34
Kuantan	$706	90/100	178/200	67/100	34
Kota Kuala Muda	$706	90/100	178/200	67/100	34
Sungai Petani	$706	90/100	178/200	67/100	34
Selayang Baru Utara	$706	90/100	178/200	67/100	34
Pasir Gudang	$706	90/100	178/200	67/100	34
Mukim Pulai	$704	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Kota Kinabalu	$704	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Kampung Larkin Lama	$704	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Kota Damansara	$704	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Sandakan	$699	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Kuala Terengganu	$698	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Taman Petaling	$698	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Alor Setar	$697	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Kampung Kangkar Teberau	$697	90/100	178/200	67/100	33
Kuching	$697	90/100	178/200	66/100	33
Puchong	$694	91/100	178/200	66/100	32
Seremban	$694	91/100	178/200	66/100	32
Tawau	$694	91/100	178/200	66/100	32
Setapak	$692	91/100	178/200	66/100	32
Kluang	$689	91/100	178/200	66/100	32
Muar	$688	91/100	178/200	66/100	32
Miri	$687	91/100	179/200	66/100	31
Kapar	$683	91/100	179/200	65/100	31
Batu Caves	$681	91/100	179/200	65/100	31
Klang	$679	92/100	179/200	65/100	31
Kajang	$679	92/100	179/200	65/100	31
Teluk Intan	$678	92/100	179/200	65/100	30
Kampong Baharu Cheras Batu Sebelas	$678	92/100	179/200	65/100	30

Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.

Compare Cities Side by Side

Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life

Healthcare

Healthcare system overview for Malaysia

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Environment

Clean

Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Malaysia

Pollution Index

32/100

Lower is better

PM2.5

16.2ug/m3

Moderate

Environmental Quality

Air Quality100/100

Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about living in Malaysia, answered with data

What is the cost of living in Malaysia?

Malaysia has a cost of living index of 32 relative to New York City (100). It is significantly cheaper than the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $650 in Bandar Mahkota Cheras and reach $823 in Kuala Lumpur.

What is the cheapest city in Malaysia for expats?

Bandar Mahkota Cheras is the most affordable city in Malaysia in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $650 for a single person including rent. Sentul is the next most affordable at $650/mo.

Is Malaysia safe for expats?

Malaysia has a safety index of 91/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Perling scores highest on safety at 93/100.

What is the best city in Malaysia for expats and digital nomads?

Perling ranks highest for quality of life in Malaysia, scoring 180/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $651/mo for a single person. For budget-conscious expats, Bandar Mahkota Cheras offers the lowest monthly costs at $650/mo.

How good is healthcare in Malaysia?

Malaysia scores 64/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it good by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.

Is Malaysia cheaper than the United States?

Yes. Malaysia's cost of living is roughly 68% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 76% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.

What is the air quality and pollution like in Malaysia?

Malaysia has a pollution index of 32/100 (lower = cleaner). This is relatively clean by global standards, making it appealing for those prioritising air quality and outdoor lifestyle.

Before You Go

Your pre-departure checklist for Malaysia

Plan Your Move

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Side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, safety, healthcare, and more.

Cost of Living

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Cost of living, safety, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates modeled from open public sources. Data sources

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