A social media post has sparked debate over whether eating out in Malaysia is more expensive than in Singapore when factoring in income levels.
An Insatgarm Threads user @hee.reyyk shared their experience of paying RM42 for pastries and a coffee at a Klang Valley cafe, questioning the belief that Malaysia offers more affordable dining options.
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“I paid RM42 for some pastries and coffee at a cafe in Klang Valley. This is not cheap!
“In Spore, a nice cafe will need SG20+ (approx. RM65) per person for the same kind of order. Am I the only one that feels eating out in Singapore is way cheaper than Malaysia?
“Dollar to Dollar, Malaysia is extremely expensive considering the fact that the average income earners is only slightly above RM5k/month but Singapore is SGD6k/month!” the user wrote.
This, they argued, makes dining out relatively more expensive for Malaysians.
The post received mixed reactions.
One user called yllowyl dismissed the comparison as misleading, stating: “Your comparison is completely flawed. Comparing ‘dollar to dollar’ between two countries with vastly different economies and purchasing power makes no sense.
“RM42 is around SGD12, which is significantly lower than the SGD20+ you mentioned for a similar meal in Singapore. If anything, this proves that Malaysia is cheaper, not more expensive.”
“SGD20 is about RM63. Compared to RM42, it is cheaper in value,” ismailpakir66 wrote.
One user called ihazelynz, sharing similar sentiments commented: “Made the same observation 10 years ago.”
