Consumer Price Index

Malaysia's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.4% on a year-on-year basis in April 2017 according to the Department of Statistics. Within this overall figure there were some steep price rises in certain categories such as transport  which rose by 16.7%,  mainly due to the cost of 1 litre of RON 95 petrol going up from RM 1.70 to RM 2.21 over the year. Also cooking oil, which rose a whopping 39.1% over the year.

This Dept. of Statistics graph shows monthly CPI changes over the past year. With petrol prices fluctuating monthly, up and down, the CPI index has shown decreases in some months.

As a consumer myself prices seem to have increased significantly in recent years. One of the reasons for me moving to Malaysia was the low cost of living but that benefit has eroded since I first came to Malaysia 8 years ago. Malaysia is still a relatively cheap country but supermarket prices for some items are now cheaper in England than they are in Malaysia.

The basket of goods used to calculate the CPI includes Malaysian staples such as:

  • Garlic
  • Red and Green Chillies
  • Shallots
  • Water Spinach
  • Kailan
  • Choy Sum

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AUTHOR BIO

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David (the one on the left) is the writer behind Malaysia Traveller, sharing firsthand travel advice from over five decades of living and travelling across Asia and the Middle East. Based in Malaysia since 2009 and now in Kuching, he has published 700+ pages, personally visited every place he covers, and uses only his own photos. Readers can learn more on his About Me page. He also shares updates on Facebook and YouTube. He loves uncovering overlooked places even many Malaysians have never visited.