{"id":67933,"date":"2025-04-16T14:10:51","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T06:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/?p=67933"},"modified":"2025-04-16T18:11:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T10:11:25","slug":"a-survival-guide-to-living-on-rm1700-in-klang-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/a-survival-guide-to-living-on-rm1700-in-klang-valley","title":{"rendered":"A Survival Guide To Living On RM1700 In Klang Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s be real: living on an RM 1,700 monthly budget, especially in the heart of Malaysia – Klang Valley – is honestly an impossible feat for many. Think about it, a cup of iced latte from any cafe would set you back by RM8 (~average), or a cup of iced kopi<\/em> from a local coffee shop is now RM 2.40. That is, a cup of iced latte everyday would cost you RM240 a month!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What about having one of the most famous dishes in Malaysia, Nasi Lemak<\/em>? Ordering a plate of nasi lemak<\/em> from the famous Village Park Restaurant costs RM12, and a plate of it every day costs you RM360! That\u2019s already more than 20% of the RM1,700 monthly budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The cost of living in the Klang Valley has surged by an average of <\/span>6.7% between 2022 and 2024<\/span><\/a>, it is now Malaysia\u2019s most expensive region to live in. However, the unfortunate scene is that the salary of many of Malaysians residing in the region has yet to catch up with the increased cost of living.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Living on minimum wage in Klang Valley<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whilst the minimum wage<\/a> in Malaysia rose from RM 1,500 to RM 1,700, many businesses use the minimum wage as a benchmark rather than a base for upward negotiation. As such, fresh graduates, gig workers, or even those in entry-level jobs are living on minimum wage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The result? Many of these employees in Klang Valley are left to feel the financial burn after paying for housing rental, daily transportation, and food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though it is heartening that the Malaysian government is taking a positive step forward by increasing the minimum wage, it does not guarantee a livable income, particularly in Klang Valley.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve hence put together a practical guide to help you understand how to budget, save and supplement your income if you\u2019re trying to survive on RM1,700 a month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Know what needs to be paid first<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, we live in an era where the basic necessities of life can\u2019t (always) be paid with stones or personal favours. Before spending on unnecessary expenses, we\u2019ll recommend doing a rough breakdown of fixed expenses you\u2019ll need to pay while living in Klang Valley.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Fixed expenses<\/strong><\/th>Estimated monthly costs<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Rent<\/td>RM500 - RM600<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Food and groceries<\/td>RM400 - RM500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Transport<\/td>RM150<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Phone and internet<\/td>RM30 - RM60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/strong><\/td>RM1080 - RM1310<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Just by having to pay for the fixed expenses, your monthly expenses are already nearing RM1400, barely leaving you space to think about savings, insurance or emergencies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Forget about 50-30-20 saving rules. Your key priority should be paying for the essentials, cutting down any unnecessary expenses and only paying for the most high-value items\/expenses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Ways to reduce your rental expense<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you have a relative or close friend who owns a house in the Klang Valley and lets you crash at their place, treasure that relationship. This article is not meant for you. Because housing rental often takes up such a huge portion of the monthly budget, not having to pay for rental leaves your plenty of room in your budget to work with for your other expenses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if you\u2019re from out of state and would need to rent a house while working in the Klang Valley, there are some hacks you can explore to slightly reduce the expenses for rental:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n