How much do we need?
To compare salaries and expenditure, we can look to the 2018 Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) policy report, The Living Wage: Beyond Making Ends Meet. According to the BNM report, below is the living wage needed:
- A single adult (KL) needs estimate RM2,700/month
- Couple without children needs at least RM4,500/m
- Couple with two children needs RM6,500/m
A living wage is defined as an income level needed in order to afford a minimum acceptable living standard which includes the ability to participate in society, the opportunity for personal and family development, and freedom from severe financial stress.
While the Belanjawanku guide looks at food, housing, transport, utilities and other everyday costs, some significant payments such as insurance, telephone bills, parents’ allowance and student loan repayments are not listed as part of the expenditure guide which means that monthly costs could likely be higher.
The guide’s allocation for rental is also seen as being unrealistic at RM300 for a single person living in the city. In contrast, financial comparison website iMoney in its April 2019 survey found that the median amount being paid for renting a room in the Klang Valley was RM680.
One of the biggest challenges for Malaysians is housing and rental prices, which many believe to be inflated. (The Star)
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