The Cost Of Living in KL for Fresh Graduates
The Cost Of Living in KL for Fresh Graduates
*Updated 24/12/2015: PTPN Loans compulsory deduction for civil servants reported by Rakyat Post so many of the fresh graduates might be affected. Source: http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/12/24/almost-3000-civil-servants-salaries-deducted-up-to-100-for-ptptn/
*Updated 24/12/2015: Touch ‘N Go Top Up Charges such as RM 0.50 will be taxed with 6% GST starting from 2016 and not the entire amount. Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/12/23/touch-n-go-denies-additional-gst-to-be-imposed-on-reloads/
The cost of living in Kuala Lumpur is getting costlier from one year to another. We had this conversation with our friends who are complaining about the high cost staying in the city. Thus, we also discussed how the young generation can save up in the city. This gave us the idea of writing this story on how much a fresh graduate can save every month in Kuala Lumpur. The below cost estimation is just a rough guide on how much a fresh grad is going to spend in Kuala Lumpur.
Consider a fresh graduate is getting the salary of RM 2500 (which is above average) in Kuala Lumpur, how much he or she can save a month?
If the fresh grad is getting RM 2500, the take home money is RM 2212.75 minus Socso RM 12.25 and EPF Contribution RM 275. Thus, the nett take home figure is at RM 2212.75.
We have listed a few types of scenarios so you can judge on your own how much a fresh grad can save in a month.
Fresh Grad Staying with Parents with a Car
Utility Bills (Electric, Water, Unifi, Astro, Handphone): RM 200
Personal expenses (clothing, toiletries, sundries): RM 200
Personal Insurance: RM 150
Car loan: RM 400 (Proton Saga FLX Manual 7 years repayment)
Petrol: RM 300
Toll: RM 150
Parking: RM 150
Food: (RM 20 per day x 30 days) RM 600
Total Expenses: RM 2150
Salary: RM 2212.75
Save: RM 62.75
Fresh Grad Staying Renting a Room with a Car
Room Rental: RM 300 (Maybe somewhere far far away in KL)
Utility Bills (Electric, Water, Unifi, Astro, Handphone): RM 200
Personal expenses (clothing, toiletries, sundries): RM 200
Personal Insurance: RM 150
Car loan: RM 400 (Proton Saga FLX Manual 7 years repayment)
Petrol: RM 300
Toll: RM 150
Parking: RM 150
Food: (RM 20 per day x 30 days) RM 600
Total Expenses: RM 2450
Salary: RM 2212.75
Deficit: RM 237.25 a month
Fresh Grad Staying Renting a Room with No Car
Room Rental: RM 300 (Maybe somewhere far far away in KL)
Utility Bills (Electric, Water, Unifi, Astro, Handphone): RM 200
Personal expenses (clothing, toiletries, sundries): RM 200
Personal Insurance: RM 150
Public Transport: RM 300
Food: (RM 20 per day x 30 days) RM 600
Total Expenses: RM 1750
Salary: RM 2212.75
Save: RM 462.75 a month
Please take note that the calculation above doesn’t include PTPN or study loans, monthly contribution for parents and other unnecessary spending such as clubbing, drinking or cigarettes. For food RM 600 a month is not much considering if they go to Starbucks a few rounds a month, it definitely above the quota. We feel that insurance is important so we included it in our calculations.
Even by saving RM 462.75 a month, can a fresh grad afford a new home in Kuala Lumpur?
Using the house loan calculator, for a RM 200,000 house with 35 years of repayment at 4.45% per annum, you need to pay RM 940 per month! New houses in Klang Valley now are at least RM 300,000 (if you lucky to find one) or RM 400,000 and above. It is absolutely no way a fresh grad can afford even a small home in KL.
The above is just a rough estimation and calculation of monthly expenses of a fresh grad in Kuala Lumpur. We hope our article is helpful and thanks for reading our blog. If you have opinion on this story, do comment and hope you share this story. Thanks again.
The Cost Of Living in KL for Fresh Graduates https://t.co/LG9AHdwF07
The Cost Of Living in KL for Fresh Graduates https://t.co/b9jDnfuOr9
#wakap #karipap https://t.co/wLP9g9PxQn
a good info
Hi Ayuarjuna,
Thanks for the comment.
This list isn’t right.
One thing’s for sure is the cheapest Unifi plan starts from RM179. That’s definitely going to exceed your RM200 for utilities after adding everything else.
Plus, parking in KL is incredibly subjective depending on where your office is located and how safe do you want to feel when walking back to your car at night.
My parking on month in KL Sentral can amount to RM300 a month.
Hi Meow,
Yes, we do understand that. We spent more than that too. This is the lowest figure so no one argues on how we intentially inflated the cost of our calculation. Thank you for commenting and yes, we agree with you. Enjoy your weeekend!
A fresh graduate with no car, utilities shouldt be rm300, unifi mostly shared,around 100 included prepaid rm30, and public transport impossible rm300, rm100-rm150 max, cos got monthly pass.
Hi Kevin Yeoh,
It is purely estimation and thanks for the comment sir.
Lol, judging from this guy’s website, he inflated these figures to shit to make this article clickbait.
Digi prepaid 1 month = RM 30
Share a RM500 master room outside KL with 3 ppl = RM175
Transport? why the fuck would it be rm300? From gombak -> kelana jaya and back it’s 3.4*2 a day * 20 days a month = RM136
Hi Bill,
Thanks for your comment. Not everyone enjoy to share a masterbed room like you. Furthermore, is RM 30 prepaid enough for one month and do you use Internet? Thanks for commenting again.
Public transport also increase price la bro, i use to take ktm>lrt>monorail daily frm kajang to my workplc at KL and is roughly RM170+ before Dec 2015. Currently i need to spend more RM300/mth. The monthly only save RM2, does it make any diff???
Great article as I think a lot of considerations are made to come up with the list! (of course everyone’s lifestyle is different in some way so there isn’t one sure fire list, so get over it people..) Maybe the next article could be on how fresh grad can overcome this? (working part time, things to save up on, investment etc.) That could be interesting cuz as a fresh grad myself hoping desperately to survive the next few years decently before a promotion or salary rise; I could surely feel the pinch and low standard of lifestyle thats bestowed upon us. 🙁
i can only afford buying one of the rooms inside a house next time perhaps? Hahah thats why we need more jobbbbs
I don’t see include cigarettes, yam cha with friends, some entertainments, car maintenance, suppliments for own health, etc
That’s true. Many fresh grad struggle every month. Some are lucky to get subsidy from parents and get the latest model of handset. Digi RM30 prepaid? No data plan? Then 3310 enough la. No movie, no Starbucks, coffee bean, fine dining, then can save a lot.
Grrat article, u can also add maintenance cost with car, gift to parents, shopping expenses, and many more. But then again,this will make the article becomes scary to other readers as there are so many expenses need to pay for living in KL. In conclusion, our salary is the only thing static right now. The cost kept increasing no matter what. Sooner or later, many fresh grad will migrate to other city. (believe that!) The living cost in KL is very crazy.
not all fresh grad got high salary like this too. really doubt can save any money at all haha
This is very interesting. // The Cost Of Living in KL for Fresh Graduates https://t.co/9PICol3qZi
Useful info for young adults.
Plan well during young age definitely will help them during old age.
Those who earn less than RM2500 are living in a very tight budget condition. I am not sure how are the fresh graduates can afford to save money.
Welcome to my life haha. Cannot own anything at all because we are barely surviving with our measly pays
You dont expect to stay at 2500 forever. If you cant perform, then you cant blame your boss for no increment.
If you know you have limited budget, please do not eat outside. Eat at home cost no more than 10. Imagine egg and vege and tofu how much can it cost?
It is not practicable to hire a fresh grad with higher rate, how much value for a new grad can bring to the firm?no ones know thats y theres confirmation and probation.
You will eventually get what you deserve later in a year if you perform well.
All the above are personal thoughts. Thanks
So true !!!!so how can we afford pay ptptn loan
Well its depends on situation if people are working in KL is better you take public transport to work.For a fresh it is quite difficult nowadays.It also depends on whether you can perform or not.Even when i was a fresh i only earn 1.8k i took public transport,live with my parents,i still manage.4 years and current i earn 4k++ and my life didnt change cost i am used to it,but still not happy with the public transport price
The Cost Of Living in KL for Fresh Graduates https://t.co/wKcCECjJVm
Indeed a struggle to start and make a living for fresh graduates like me. But the question is, are we being underpaid, or is everything just too expensive?
Interesting estimation and its definitely getting more difficult for fresh grads to come to their own. Things are getting more and more expensive nowadays.
I beg to differ… I think RM10 a day for Public transport is hardly enough with LRT and everything escalating also… I take LRT to KL Sentral from home… bus RM1…. LRT RM4.20 ….. if go other places let’s say Bukit Bintang or so… the price would be higher… and this is just ONE WAY
all so expensive nowadays. I didnt think i can afford to buy a house pun 🙁
So this is the controversial post! It is actually insightful.
Time to think out of the box how to increase income to survive ‘nicely’ in the city >.<
useless staying in Malaysia anymore.. argh.
We have updated our story with recent news which might affect the cost of living in KL for fresh graduates…. https://t.co/nsC6hoHREt
from your blog post here, really can tell, with the getting expensive cost of living in KL, not only fresh graduate, even us normal worker also sufferring 🙁 cheers, siennylovesdrawing
That’s why relationship can be investment in long run. Lol
Expensive. When i was a fresh grad abt 10 years ago my salary was rm2k. I didnt want to buy car cos not enough money to pay installment. Better use public transport. I only got my first car this year with a salary of rm6.7k. That one also have to stretch to 9 years cos now i have a family and general living expenses has increased. I am now considering less driving so save money on petrol and use the trains instead, also considering since the jam in klang valley is also so horrendous.
Rm150 parking is an understatement. My parking is rm265. It is not even in city centre. I have to leave the house at 5.45am to get dbkl rm5 parking. Some of us don’t even shower just to get that parking. Feel like I’m working in North Korea
If want to have car really want to have own car most probably need do Uber liao if don’t have any financial support from family to buy.
earn extra income slow and steady. No monetary investment needed. Do it online anytime any where.
useless post we are all fu er dai
20 bucks a day for food? Gotta start packing your lunch mate. Saves you a butt ton. Considering that is your biggest expense. 200 bucks groceries can last you a while for one person. Increasing your savings by 400. and cooking is healthy. This is just for over privileged fresh grads.
Makan tu blh kurangkan lg sebenarnya if stay dgn parents.. belanja mkn ambil waktu bekerja shj rm20x22days=rm440.. nk lg jimat mkn sekali sehari either breakfast or lunch rm10x22days=rm220..