Cost of Studying and Living in Malaysia

by StudyMalaysia.com on June 13, 2017 | Why Study in Malaysia, Top Stories

This article is outdated. To get the latest costs, kindly refer to:

One of many reasons why international students choose Malaysia is because of its cost-effective, high quality tertiary education. As an example, you can acquire a UK engineering degree (3 years) in Malaysia through a 3+0 foreign university franchised degree programme at an estimated RM68,000 (US$17,000), whereas the tuition fee of the same 3-year degree programme at the host university in the UK is about £36,000 (or RM217,000 or US$54,250). As such, a student can save up to RM149,000 (US$37,250) in tuition fees if he or she chooses to study in Malaysia (see Table 2.24). If cost of living is taken into account, students who complete their entire 3+0 degree in Malaysia can save up to an estimated RM216,000 (US$54,000).

In a recent survey on the 'Most Affordable Cities for Students in 2016' QS University Ranking found that “Kuala Lumpur receives a near-perfect score for affordability, with a winning combination of low living costs and relatively low tuition fees”.

The major components of education cost are:

Course fees which include tuition fees and other study fees payable to the institution, depending on what you are studying and the duration of your course/study programme; and
Living expenses which will depend on where you are staying, your type of accommodation and your lifestyle.

Education Costs in Malaysia

Cost of Studying and Living in Malaysia Your course fees will consist of your tuition fees plus other related study expenses. Below are types of fees that you may incur during your course of study :

1. Academic Fees:

Registration fee
Tuition fee
Deposit
Computer/Science laboratory fee
Health & hospitalisation insurance premium
Library fee
Other incidental costs such as examination fees

2. Non-academic Fees:

Student visa fees
Medical check-up
Health and hospitalisation insurance premium

The breakdown of estimated tuition fees at various levels of study at private higher educational institutions (PHEIs) in Malaysia are outlined below :

A. Pre-University Programmes

If you have completed IGSCE or O-level and are looking for pre-university studies to prepare for a bachelor’s degree programme or professional courses, Malaysia offers a wide variety of pre-university programmes. Here are some types of pre-university programmes, the duration of study and estimated tuition fee.

Types of Pre-University	Duration of Study	No. of Subjects Studied/ (Typical Exam Result Announcement Date)	Estimated Tuition Fee per Course (RM)
Cambridge GCE A-Levels, UK	15-18 months	3 – 4 subjects / (August/January)	RM19,000-38,000 (US$4,750-9,500) for 3 subjects
SACE, Australia (formerly SAM)	11 months	5 subjects / (December)	RM21,000–28,000 (US$5,250-7,000)
AUSMAT, Australia	10 months	5-6 subjects / (December)	RM17,000–25,000 (US$4,250-6,250)
CIMP, Canada	12 months	6 subjects / (June/December, usually 1 month after exam)	RM27,000–30,000 (US$6,750-7,500)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP)	24 months	6 subjects / (July/Jan)	RM115, 000 (US$28,750)
Monash University Foundation Year (MUFY)	12 months	4/5 subjects / (July/December, usually within 2 months after exam)	RM25,000 (US$ 6,250)
New South Wales High School Certificate (NSW HSC)	12 months	5 subjects (usually within 2 months after exam)	RM13,000 – 21,000 (US$3,250-5,250)
University’s Internal Programme (private)	10 - 12 months	5-6 subjects / (varies)	RM10,000–20,000 (US$2,500-5,000)

Source:

StudyMalaysia Research Team;
Education Guide Malaysia (14th edition)
Brochures & website of various colleges

(Estimated currency exchange rate: US$1=RM4.00; £1=RM5.50)
(Note: All figures are estimates and serve only as a guideline)

B. Bachelor’s Degree Programmes

Malaysia offers you many study pathways to complete an entire 3-year bachelor’s degree programme at a very competitive cost if you have pre-university qualifications such as GCE A-Levels, SAM or other equivalent pre-university qualifications. The estimated tuition fees for various study modes (‘3+0’, twinning, ADP, home-grown, foreign university, etc.) that lead to a bachelor’s degree qualification are:

Item	3+0 Engineering Degree in Malaysia (Estimated cost)	Host University in UK (Estimated cost)
Tuition fees (for international students)	RM68,000 per course for a duration of 3 years	£12,000 per academic year or £36,000 for a duration of 3 years (full-time)
Basic living expenses	RM54,000 for 3 years	£670 per month or estimated £18,000 for 3 academic years (3 x 9 months)
Other cost	RM15,000	£5,000
Total tuition fees and living expenses for 3 years	Approx. RM140,000 (US$35,000)	Approx. £59,000 (US$81,000)
Estimated savings for 3+0 degree programme	RM184,000 (US$46,000)

Source: HELP College of Arts & Technology; StudyMalaysia Research Team

Estimated Tuition Fees per Course for a home-grown Bachelor’s Degree at Malaysian Private Universities:

Areas of Study	Business	Engineering	IT
Estimated Tuition Fee	RM29,000–54,000 (Average cost: RM40,000 or US$10,000)	RM30,000–75,000 (Average cost: RM60,000 or US$15,000)	RM30,000–55,000 (Average cost: RM45,000 or US$11,250)
Duration of Study	3 years	4 years	3 years

Areas of
Study

Business

Engineering

Estimated
Tuition Fee

RM29,000–54,000

(Average cost: RM40,000 or US$10,000)

RM30,000–75,000

(Average cost: RM60,000 or US$15,000)

RM30,000–55,000

(Average cost: RM45,000 or US$11,250)

Duration
of Study

3 years

4 years

3 years

Areas of Study	Hospitality & Tourism	Medicine	Pharmacy
Estimated Tuition Fee	RM30,000–65,000 (Average cost: RM45,000 or US$7,500-16,250)	RM255,000–450,000 (Average cost: RM320,000 or US$80,000)	RM115,000–185,000 (Average cost: RM120,000 or US$30,000)
Duration of Study	3 years	5 years	4 years

Areas of
Study

Hospitality &
Tourism

Medicine

Pharmacy

Estimated
Tuition Fee

RM30,000–65,000

(Average cost: RM45,000 or US$7,500-16,250)

RM255,000–450,000
(Average cost: RM320,000 or US$80,000)

RM115,000–185,000
(Average cost: RM120,000 or US$30,000)

Duration
of Study

3 years

5 years

4 years

Source: StudyMalaysia Research Team; Brochures of some institutions

Estimated Tuition Fees for an American Degree Transfer Program:

Programme	Duration	Tuition Fee: Studying in Malaysia+US
American Degree Transfer Program	2 (in Malaysia)+2 (in US) years	RM26,000-45,000 (US$6,500-11,250) for 2 years in Malaysia and US$13,000-40,000 per year in the US

Source: StudyMalaysia Research Team and Study in Malaysia Handbook 8th International Edition)

Estimated Tuition Fees for a 2+1 UK Degree Transfer Programme (Law):

Degree Transfer Programme	Duration of Study	Estimated Tuition Fee: Malaysia + Overseas
UK Degree Transfer Programme (Law)	2 (in Malaysia)+1 (in UK) years	Tuition Fee: RM60,000 (or US$15,000) for 2 years in Malaysia + £10,000 - £14,000 per year in the UK depending on the choice of university and course Living expenses: RM1,800 (or US$450) per month in Malaysia; £800 per month in UK

Degree Transfer
Programme

Duration of
Study

Estimated Tuition Fee: Malaysia + Overseas

UK Degree Transfer Programme (Law)

2 (in Malaysia)+1 (in UK) years

Tuition Fee: RM60,000 (or US$15,000) for 2 years in Malaysia + £10,000 - £14,000 per year in the UK depending on the choice of university and course

Living expenses: RM1,800 (or US$450) per month in Malaysia; £800 per month in UK

Source: HELP University; StudyMalaysia Research Team
(Estimated currency exchange rate: US$1=RM4.00; £1=RM5.50)
(Note: All figures are estimates and serve only as a guideline)

Comparison of Tuition Fee for a Foreign University Branch Campus Bachelor of Engineering (4 years study duration in Malaysia and UK)

Duration of Study	Tuition fee (Studying in Malaysia)	Tuition fee (Studying in UK)	Total Tuition Fee (in Malaysia & UK)
Number of years (4 yrs in Malaysia + 0 yr in UK)	RM163,200 @40,800 per year	£0 year	RM163,200 or US$40,800 for 4+0 years (Entire course in Malaysia)
Number of years (3 yrs in Malaysia + 1 yr in UK)	RM122,400 for 3 years	£16,420 for 1 year	RM212,710 or US$53,178 for 3+1 years
Number of years (2 yrs in Malaysia + 2 yr in UK)	RM81,600 for 2 years	£32,840 for 2 years	RM262,220 or US$65,555 for 2+2 years
Number of years 1 yr in Malaysia + 3 yrs in UK)	RM40,800 for 1 year	£49,260 for 3 years	RM311,730 or US$77,933 for 1+3 years
Number of years (0 yr in Malaysia + 4 yrs in UK)	RM0 year	£65,680 for 4 years	RM361,240 or US$90,310 for 0+4 years (Entire course in UK)

Source: Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
(Estimated currency exchange rate: US$1=RM4.00; £1=RM5.50)
(All figures are estimates and serve only as a guideline)

(Note: Heriot-Watt University allows students in Malaysia to transfer to UK at any level (e.g. 1 year in Malaysia and 2 years in UK or 2 years in Malaysia and 1 year in the UK). Students could also pursue their first year in Malaysia, second year in Edinburgh – and the third year back in Malaysia.)

C. Postgraduate studies

Public universities and PHEIs in Malaysia offer international students postgraduate programmes at very competitive tuition fees. The estimated tuition fees are as follows:

Estimated Course Fees for Master of Business Administration (MBA) Awarded by Malaysian Universities

Providers	Qualification	Course Fee (RM)	Duration
Private universities	Master of Business Administration	RM25,000-36,000 per course (US$6,250-9,000)	1 to 1.5 years full-time
Public universities	Master of Business Administration	RM21,000-26,000 per course (US$5,250-6,500)	1 to 1.5 years full-time

Source: StudyMalaysia Research Team; brochures of some institutions

Cost Comparison for a UK MBA in Malaysia and UK:

Description	Estimated Cost (Fees and Living Expenses) at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Campus	Estimated Cost (Fees and Living Expenses) at Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, UK (for international students)
MBA Fulltime (1 year)	Tuition fee: RM 55,800 (PT Only) Living expenses: RM 36,000/year TOTAL: RM91,800 or US$22,950	Tuition fee: £16,950 (Full Time) Living expenses: £20,000 - £31,000/year TOTAL: £36,950-47,950
Estimated Cost Savings when studying in Malaysia	Tuition Fee Savings: RM37,425 or US$9,356 Living Expenses Savings: RM 101,500 or US$25,375 TOTAL SAVING:RM138,925 or US$34,731

Source: Heriot-Watt University Malaysia; StudyMalaysia Research Team
(Estimated currency exchange rate: US$1=RM4.00; £1=RM5.50) (Note: All figures are estimates and serve only as a guideline)

Cost of Living in Malaysia

Breakdown of living cost in Malaysia

The average international student should be prepared to spend about RM1,800 (US$450) per month for living expenses in the vinicity of a city. The cost can be broken down as:

Accommodation

You should estimate about RM300 (US$75) to RM600 (US$150) for your accommodation per month. The rental will vary depending on the geographical area, the type of accommodation (on-campus living in a hall of residence; or off- campus living in an apartment, condominium, single-storey house, double-storey house, etc.), the facilities provided in the house (e.g. with or without air-conditioning) and of course, the number of people sharing the room (or the apartment or house).
Food / Housekeeping

Your food and housekeeping expenses are estimated to be around RM600-900 (US$150- 225). This is based on about RM20-30 (US$5- 7.50) for three meals per day. Naturally, if you cook and share the cooking expenses with your friends, it would be cheaper.

It’s possible to have a fast food meal for below RM10 (US$2.50) in Malaysia. For example, a McValue meal at McDonald’s starts at RM5.95. Meal sets at KFC start at RM6.90 and pizza deals for group meals from Domino’s are also below RM10 per pax.

Local food like rice and noodles at food stalls or coffee shops range from RM4-10 (US$1-2.50). At mid-range restaurants, you can expect to pay RM20-40 for a meal (US$5-10). A coffee from Starbucks costs an average of RM12-16 (US$3-4).
Clothing and laundry

Your clothing expenses like washing, ironing, dry-cleaning, etc. may cost around RM60 (US$15) per month.
Public Transport

Students who stay on campus or near campus may not incur any cost of travelling to and from classes. However, other travelling may cost approximately RM80-150 (US$20-37.5) per month.
Telecommunication / Mobile Phone Bills and Utilities

The mobile phone packages in Malaysia are very competitive. How much you spend will depend on your usage and the promotional package you choose. The average student may spend about RM30-50 (US$7.50-12.50) per month.
Books, Reading Materials and Stationery

The estimated cost of books and stationery should be around RM50-100 (US$12.50-25) per month, but it would largely depend on the course you have signed up for and the number and nature of projects in your course.
Medical / Hospitalisation Insurance

If you put aside RM50 (US$12.50) per month for medical expenses, it would be suf cient (include you in case you need outpatient treatment at a private clinic) during the year. This estimate is the amount you will have to pay for your medical and hospitalisation insurance of about RM500 (US$125) per year.
Personal Expenses

Your monthly personal expenses largely depend on your personal lifestyle. However, the cost can be estimated to be between RM100 (US$25) and RM200 (US$50). This includes your socialising needs, toiletries, haircut, clothes, movie, etc

Using the estimate above, the total cost of living for a student will average at RM1,800 (US$450) per month or RM21,600 (US$5,400) per year. It is important to remember that the above estimate is only a guide in planning your budget to study in Malaysia and geographical location and personal lifestyle should be factored in when planning your personal budget.

References :

Study in Malaysia Handbook (9th International Edition)
Brochures and websites of some institutions

Source: Study in Malaysia Handbook 10th Ed.

All rights reserved. No part of this editorial contents may be reproduced, copied, translated, or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written consent from the publisher Challenger Concept (M) Sdn Bhd (www.studymalaysia.com/challenger)

International university students
studying in Malaysia – your 2021
FAQs answered

What you need to know if you’re
a Malaysian student returning to
college or university in 2021

StudyMalaysia.com

Cost of Studying and Living in Malaysia