Malaysia Ranks 1st Among ASEAN Countries for Lowest Cost of Living

A survey which was recently published revealed that Malaysia ranks the cheapest for living cost among ASEAN countries.

Mercer’s 2020 Cost of Living Survey ranked 209 countries 

Out of the 209 countries, Hong Kong took the top spot and is considered the most expensive country in the world. Hong Kong has remained at the number 1 spot for 3 years in a row btw!

Here the list of top 10 most expensive cities:

1. Hong Kong
2. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
3. Tokyo, Japan
4. Zurich, Switzerland
5. Singapore
6. New York, USA
7. Shanghai, China
8. Bern, Switzerland
9. Geneva, Switzerland
10. Beijing, China

As for ASEAN countries, Mercer ran the survey across all ASEAN cities except for Laos.

Here’s the ranking for costliest city in ASEAN:

1. Singapore
2. Bangkok, Thailand
3. Manila, The Philippines
4. Yangon, Myanmar
5. Jakarta, Indonesia
6. Phnom Penh, Cambodia
7. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
8. Hanoi, Vietnam
9. Banda Seri Begawan, Brunei
10. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The survey revealed that Malaysia has the lowest cost of living when compared to other countries, with Myanmar, Indonesia, and more overtaking the spot.

Mercer did this survey by analysing the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each city. This includes housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment.

What do you think about this ranking? Let us know in the comments!

Also read: Survey: Houses in KL are Among the Cheapest In the World