RM3,100 a baseline, not a comfortable salary for singles in KL

KUALA LUMPUR: A monthly salary of about RM3,100 for a single person in Kuala Lumpur should be seen as a financial baseline for a reasonable standard of living, not a guarantee of financial comfort.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Faculty of Human Ecology dean and personal financial planning lecturer Prof Dr Mohamad Fazli Sabri said the figure could serve as a benchmark for assessing whether a person could meet basic needs while setting aside some savings and preparing for emergencies.

Fazli said income adequacy should not be measured solely by one's ability to pay for food, rent and transport, but should also account for healthcare, communication, social participation, savings and protection against financial shocks.

"Minimum wage is the lowest wage set through policy and legislation. A living wage addresses a broader question: after working full-time, does a person earn enough to live reasonably?

"This includes having some savings and financial protection, rather than merely having enough to get by until the end of the month," he told Berita Harian.

It was previously reported that a single person living in Kuala Lumpur was estimated to need a living wage of about RM3,100 a month to maintain a reasonable standard of living.

The estimate was based on the 2026 Government-Linked Enterprises Activation and Reform Programme (GEAR-uP) initiative, which accounted for changes in the cost of living.

Fazli said RM3,100 was a reasonable starting point, but it was too early to consider it a comfortable salary, as financial well-being depended largely on individual commitments and spending habits.

"Someone who rents a room near their workplace and uses public transport would have a different financial position from someone who owns a car, pays a loan, rents a place alone and supports their parents," he said.

He said it was therefore wrong to assume that every single person earning RM3,100 automatically enjoyed financial well-being.

Differences in transport costs also illustrated how lifestyle choices could affect income adequacy, particularly in urban areas.

Citing the Belanjawanku 2024/2025 guide, he said estimated monthly expenses for a single person in the Klang Valley stood at about RM1,970 for public transport users, compared with RM2,800 for car owners.

"This difference shows that transport choices alone can have a significant impact on a person's financial position," he said.

Fazli said the financial margin would shrink further for those with commitments such as National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans, insurance or takaful payments, parental support and emergency savings.

"For example, someone earning RM3,100 may be able to pay all their bills, but if only RM50 or RM100 remains after meeting all their commitments, a minor emergency, such as a car breakdown or illness, could force them to use a credit card, buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services or borrow from family," he said.