Learn about the cost of expenses and living in Malaysia
One of the most beneficial features for international students when choosing to study in Malaysia is the relatively low cost of living. The total accommodation expenses, whether on or off campus, are very reasonable. As for your actual cost of living, it depends on where you live and your personal lifestyle, and what pleases students is knowing that Kuala Lumpur has been ranked as one of the least expensive cities in the world to live in.
For most students, the monthly budget ranges between 1200 ringgit and 2000 ringgit, equivalent to about 290 US dollars to 480 ringgit, which is a suitable budget for a fairly comfortable life in Malaysia.
At the lowest estimate of living costs in Malaysia, international students should spend about 1200 ringgit, or the equivalent of 290 US dollars, per month to cover all living expenses within the city area. Living costs are broken down as follows:
Food / housekeeping:
Your food and housekeeping expenses are estimated at about 400 ringgit to 800 ringgit (estimated at about 100 dollars to 100). This is based on the three basic meals a day costing about 15 - 20 ringgit (about 7 dollars a day). Of course, if you cook at home or share the costs with friends who live with you, the expense will be cheaper.
Laundry:
Your clothing expenses, such as washing, ironing, dry cleaning and so on, may cost you about 60 ringgit (equivalent to 15 dollars) per month, and this applies at some universities because laundry is done at an external laundrette designated for students. In off-campus housing, however, the apartments have a washing machine for each apartment, provided by the landlord, so there are no costs in this case.
Public transport:
Students who live on campus or near it may not bear any expenses or costs for travelling to and from the college. However, transport expenses for others may be close to 30 to 50 ringgit (about 13 dollars) per month.
Telecommunications (landline and wireless), mobile phone and utility bills:
Mobile phone packages and plans in Malaysia are very competitive, which means they work in your favour, but they will also depend on your personal usage and its amount, as you can choose from many promotional packages. On average, a student may spend about 10 to 30 ringgit (equivalent to 2.50 dollars to 7 dollars) per month.
Electricity and internet bills:
This depends on electricity usage in off-campus housing. If the whole apartment is rented, the tenant must pay the electricity and internet bill, but if a room is rented in off-campus housing, the landlord and tenant agree whether the electricity bill is included.
University accommodation includes electricity and internet
Books, stationery and study materials:
The cost is estimated on average at between 50 and 100 ringgit (about 13 to 25 dollars) per month, but this cost depends on the course you enrol in and the amount and nature of the projects and tools that your studies require.
Medical insurance:
When applying for the visa, the student automatically receives a medical insurance card, and the student can use the medical insurance for costs of up to approximately 20,000 ringgit, or approximately 5000 dollars. Where treatment costs are less than 50 ringgit, the student may have to pay them and the insurance does not cover them.
Personal expenses:
The cost of personal expenses naturally depends on your own lifestyle. However, the cost can be estimated on average at between 100 ringgit and 200 ringgit (equivalent to 25 dollars to 50 dollars), and this includes your social needs, personal hygiene and cosmetic items, haircuts, clothing, the cinema and other things.
Based on the previous estimates, the total average cost of living in Malaysia for one student is between 1200 ringgit and 2000 ringgit (equivalent to 300 dollars to 500 dollars) per month, or about between 14,400 ringgit and 24,000 ringgit (equivalent to between 3440 dollars and 5750 dollars) for the whole year.
It is important to remember that the estimates above are only a guide for planning your budget for studying in Malaysia. Personal expenses vary according to your location, the type of study and your lifestyle.
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