Cost of Living in Malaysia 2026: Official State Figures
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) publishes what households in each state earn and spend, and how fast prices are rising, as open data. This guide uses two of its datasets: the Household Income and Expenditure Survey by state, whose latest year is 2024, and the monthly Consumer Price Index, whose latest month on the day of checking was August 2026. It also sets out the salary bands for foreign professionals that took effect on 1 June 2026. Every figure was read in those official sources on 14 October 2026. Amounts are in Malaysian ringgit.
Quick answer
Average monthly household expenditure in 2024 ranged from RM 3,547 in Sabah to RM 9,186 in Putrajaya, with Kuala Lumpur at RM 8,178 and Selangor at RM 7,266. Median monthly household income was RM 10,802 in Kuala Lumpur and RM 4,083 in Kelantan. Consumer prices in August 2026 were 1.9% higher than a year earlier. A foreign professional on an Employment Pass must now earn a basic salary of at least RM 5,000 a month.
What households spend and earn, state by state
DOSM defines the figures as averages across households: gross monthly household income and gross monthly household expenditure, in ringgit. The table shows 2024.
| State or territory | Mean expenditure (RM) | Median income (RM) | Mean income (RM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| W.P. Putrajaya | 9,186 | 10,769 | 13,846 |
| W.P. Kuala Lumpur | 8,178 | 10,802 | 13,985 |
| Selangor | 7,266 | 10,726 | 13,296 |
| Melaka | 6,212 | 6,891 | 8,686 |
| Johor | 5,927 | 7,712 | 9,484 |
| Pulau Pinang | 5,850 | 7,386 | 9,152 |
| Terengganu | 5,219 | 6,627 | 7,627 |
| Negeri Sembilan | 5,115 | 5,591 | 7,305 |
| W.P. Labuan | 4,497 | 7,383 | 8,555 |
| Pahang | 4,368 | 4,975 | 6,066 |
| Sarawak | 4,281 | 5,504 | 6,947 |
| Perak | 4,232 | 4,687 | 6,173 |
| Perlis | 4,084 | 4,950 | 5,996 |
| Kedah | 4,028 | 4,895 | 5,793 |
| Kelantan | 3,825 | 4,083 | 5,265 |
| Sabah | 3,547 | 4,890 | 6,498 |
Three things to read from the table:
- Location drives the figure. Household spending in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor is above RM 7,000 a month. In eight states and territories it is below RM 5,000.
- The capital region earns more too. Median household income is above RM 10,000 in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor, and below RM 5,000 in Kelantan, Perak, Sabah, Kedah, Perlis and Pahang.
- These are household figures. They are totals for a household and averages across households, so a single newcomer or a large family will differ.
How fast spending has grown
| State | Mean expenditure, 2022 (RM) | Mean expenditure, 2024 (RM) |
|---|---|---|
| W.P. Kuala Lumpur | 7,823 | 8,178 |
| Selangor | 6,770 | 7,266 |
| Johor | 5,342 | 5,927 |
| Pulau Pinang | 5,322 | 5,850 |
| Sabah | 3,342 | 3,547 |
Prices in 2026
DOSM's Consumer Price Index data gives headline inflation month by month. The latest month in the published file on 14 October 2026 was August 2026.
| Month | Inflation over a year | Change over a month |
|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | 1.9% | 0.4% |
| May 2026 | 2.0% | 0.1% |
| June 2026 | 1.9% | 0.0% |
| July 2026 | 1.8% | 0.0% |
| August 2026 | 1.9% | 0.3% |
The survey figures above are for 2024, so prices have moved since. Headline inflation has stayed at or below 2.0% in each of the five months shown.
What a foreign professional has to earn
Since 1 June 2026, the Employment Pass has three bands, measured on basic monthly salary and excluding allowances and bonuses:
| Employment Pass category | Minimum basic salary |
|---|---|
| Category I | RM 20,000 and above |
| Category II | RM 10,000 to RM 19,999 |
| Category III | RM 5,000 to RM 9,999 |
Set against the survey, the Category III floor of RM 5,000 is one person's basic salary, while the RM 8,178 spent by the average Kuala Lumpur household is a household total. The details are in our Malaysia work visa guide.
Costs for students and retirees
- Students: the visa application fee through Education Malaysia Global Services is MYR1,728.00 for a new student at a higher education institution, and compulsory medical insurance starts at RM498 a year.
- Long-stay residents: the Malaysia My Second Home programme requires a fixed deposit, from USD 150,000 in the Silver category, and a compulsory residential purchase, with a minimum property price of RM600,000 in that category.
How to use these numbers
- Find your state and take its mean household expenditure for 2024.
- Adjust for your household. The figure is for a whole household.
- Bring it forward with the inflation figures, which ran between 1.8% and 2.0% a year in the five months shown.
- Compare with your salary. Use the median household income for your state, and the Employment Pass band you fall into.
What this page does not cover
We have not included rents by city, school fees, healthcare prices or income tax rates, because we did not read them in an official source on the day of checking. The survey describes how resident households spend. It is not a price list for a newcomer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost of living in Malaysia?
It depends on the state. Average monthly household expenditure in 2024 ranged from RM 3,547 in Sabah to RM 9,186 in Putrajaya, according to DOSM's household survey data.
How much does it cost to live in Kuala Lumpur?
The average household in W.P. Kuala Lumpur spent RM 8,178 a month in 2024, up from RM 7,823 in 2022.
What is the average household income in Malaysia?
By state in 2024, median monthly household income ranged from RM 4,083 in Kelantan to RM 10,802 in Kuala Lumpur. Mean income in Kuala Lumpur was RM 13,985.
What is the inflation rate in Malaysia?
Headline inflation was 1.9% in the year to August 2026, the latest month in DOSM's published data on 14 October 2026.
Which Malaysian state is cheapest to live in?
Sabah had the lowest average household expenditure in 2024 at RM 3,547 a month, followed by Kelantan at RM 3,825.
Is Penang cheaper than Kuala Lumpur?
Household spending is lower. The average household in Pulau Pinang spent RM 5,850 a month in 2024, against RM 8,178 in Kuala Lumpur.
What salary do I need to work in Malaysia as a foreigner?
For an Employment Pass application submitted on or after 1 June 2026, a basic monthly salary of at least RM 5,000, which is the floor of Category III.
Official sources
- Department of Statistics Malaysia, OpenDOSM — Household Income and Expenditure: States
- Department of Statistics Malaysia, OpenDOSM — Consumer Price Index inflation data
- Expatriate Services Division, Immigration Department of Malaysia — Revised Expatriate Salary Booklet, effective 1 June 2026
- Education Malaysia Global Services — Calculate your application fee
- Education Malaysia Global Services — Insurance
- Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture — Malaysia My Second Home, category overview
All figures verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Household figures are for 2024 and are averages across households. Information, not financial advice.