How Much Does It Cost To Have A Baby In Malaysia?
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As the last ring of the wedding bell fades away, it’s time to plan your next move as a married couple. Most people would enjoy the first few years of being newlywed and will consider having their first child a few years later. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan for it still!
Have you considered how expensive it will be to raise a child? From food, clothing, education, hobbies and healthcare to entertainment and caretaker costs—having a child costs you a lot more than just love and fresh air.
A pan-Asian insurance group had looked into the total cost of raising a child in Malaysia and discovered that the figure is close to half a million ringgit for each child!
The report produced by AIA Bhd estimated that it would require about RM400,000 to RM1.1 million, taking into account the cost of delivering the baby, schooling expenses all the way to university fees.
So how much does it cost to have a baby in Malaysia today? What if you’re considering quitting your job to take care of your child full time? How will it affect your family if there’s just a single source of income?
iMoney offers clues on how to estimate and plan expenses so that the joy of parenthood is not buried under financial stress.
Pregnancy check-up
Assuming a normal pregnancy, a pregnant mother is required to go for regular check-up once a month and once every two weeks from 36th week onwards. These check-ups at a private hospital can cost an average of RM200 to RM250 per visit.
Estimated cost = RM2,400 to RM3,000
Delivery
Ask any parents and you will find out that the cost of delivery in Malaysia isn’t cheap. For most, child delivery will most likely happen in a private hospital, clinic or maternity centre. If you plan to deliver your child at a private hospital in the Klang Valley, a natural delivery can cost anywhere between RM3,000 to RM10,000 including hospital stay for both mother and baby, while a Caesarean delivery can cost between RM6,000 and RM15,000, especially if it involves an emergency case including anaesthetics and post natal phototherapy for your newborn.
Estimated cost = RM3,000 to RM10,000
Baby medical care
Your newborn baby will have to go for regular check-ups and immunisation in the first year. These immunisations are scheduled every other month, from a BCG at 0-month to measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination in the 12th month.
On average, these visits can cost between RM60 to RM150 per visit, if you visit a private paediatrician clinic.
Estimated annual cost = RM2,000 to RM2,500
If your baby is susceptible to flu and cold, be prepared to fork out about RM150 to RM200 per doctor’s visit, as consultation by a paediatrician and medication does not come cheap.
Childcare
If both parents are working, you will need to prepare to pay a fixed amount every month for the caring of your child. Some parents are lucky enough to have their own parents to look after the child. However, for those who don’t have this luxury, here is the breakdown of childcare costs.
Babysitter or nanny
The average monthly salary for Nanny jobs in Malaysia ranges from RM1,900 to RM3,000 depending on location. Generally, professional babysitters and nannies are expected to ensure that children adequately eat, play, rest, and are intellectually stimulated through a variety of activities in a safe environment.
Estimated annual cost = RM22,800 to RM36,000
Maid service
Others opt to get a live-in maid to take care of the child, especially if they have an aging parent at home too. However, getting a stay-at-home maid can be costly. In Malaysia, these jobs are mainly taken by foreign domestic helpers. Agencies generally charge fees ranging from RM15,000 to RM18,000 and a monthly salary to the maid starting from RM1,500.
Estimated cost for the first year = from RM35,000 (not inclusive of food and accommodation)
Baby furniture
Stroller and car seat
You will need a good quality stroller that can usually last at least two years to bring your baby out. An average stroller with a baby carrier that doubles as a car seat costs about RM1,300 (and we are not talking about those designer strollers). When your baby is slightly older (depending on weight), you will need to get a separate car seat that costs at least RM400.
Estimated cost = RM1,700
Nursery equipment
A baby needs different types of furniture, such as a crib, playpen, changing table, high chair, and Jumperoo. If you would like to cut costs, you can buy second-hand for these or get free from your relatives, whose children have grown out of these.
However, if you have to buy everything brand new, these can add up to a big amount. Following are the average costs as a benchmark:
- Crib/Cot/Mattress/Pillows/Bedding – RM800
- Playpen – RM200
- High chair – RM100
- Changing table – RM150
Estimated cost = RM1,250
Food
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Breastfeeding
If the mother decides to breastfeed, then you will need to consider getting a breast pump. Currently, breast pumps in the market range in price from RM150 to over RM800, not forgetting the required storage bottles, chiller packs and other paraphernalia.
Estimated cost = RM800
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Formula
Baby formulas have different prices depending on the different brands and stages. The earlier the stage, (for newborns) the more expensive the cost. As your child becomes older, the cost of formula milk will reduce. The average price of a tin of formula for a newborn of up to six months old ranges from RM60 to over RM110 a tin.
Estimated cost for first year = RM2,640
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Solid food
Once your baby is six months old and above, you can start feeding him or her solid food to supplement milk like porridge, puree food, or baby cereal. This can roughly cost about RM120 a month, depending on the ingredients you choose.
Estimated cost for first year = RM720
Diapers
There are various brands of diapers available. Some can be cheaper while others can cost you quite a hefty sum.
A mid-range diaper brand can cost over RM35 per pack. The number of diapers in a pack depends on the size. Typically there will be less diapers in a pack the larger the size. The cost will often be higher too.
A more premium diaper brand can cost about RM60 per pack. These can be used at night as they can last longer without leaking.
Estimated cost for first year = RM1,435 (RM35 X 15 packs and RM60 X 15 packs)
Clothes and toys
Babies grow out of their clothes and get tired of toys fairly quickly. Most parents are advised to get used clothes or toys from friends or relatives. However, parents will still buy new clothes and toys for their babies occasionally (who can resist those cute outfits and toys?). The amount spent on these items really depends on you and your baby.
Estimated cost for first year = RM720
So… What IS the total cost of having a baby?
The figures above are just estimates and some of them are one-time costs while others are recurring. In the interest of providing new parents, and soon-to-be parents an idea of how much they need to prepare for an arrival of their newborn, here is an estimate of the total cost that may be incurred from pregnancy to the first 12 months of your baby’s life in the case of both parents working and if one parent stayed at home full time.
| Arrival of baby | ||
| Pregnancy check-ups^ | ||
| Delivery (natural)^ | ||
| After birth (12 months) | ||
| Immunisation & check-ups^ | ||
| Childcare (babysitter)# | ||
| Stroller & car seat^ | ||
| Furniture^ | ||
| Breast pump^ | ||
| Formula milk# | ||
| Baby solid food# | ||
| Diapers# | ||
| Clothes/Toys# | ||
Total |
|
|
# Recurring annual cost
Ways to keep costs down
These are estimated costs of the things you will need in the first year of your child’s life for an average middle-income family living in Klang Valley. However, there are ways to keep costs down. For example, by opting to go to government hospitals you can help save significantly on delivery, check-ups and medical costs.
Keep in mind that the total figure above is not an upfront cost so you can spread this out a little. However, you will need to prepare at least RM12,000 to RM18,000 before the delivery at a private hospital, as you will not know if the mother will deliver naturally or via Caesarean.
Tips to manage baby expenses
Having the right credit card can help you manage your expenses better, not just as a payment method, but you can use facilities such as the easy payment plan or balance transfer to help you spread out the payment for a large amount.
To further help ease the financial burden of Malaysian parents, the government provides a number of tax reliefs to help ease the burden. Some of these include:
- Purchase of basic supporting equipment for disabled self, spouse, child or parent (RM6,000 restricted)
- Medical expenses on (RM8,000 restricted):
- Serious diseases for self, spouse or child
- Fertility treatment for self or spouse
- Vaccination for self, spouse and child (Restricted to RM1,000)
- Expenses (Restricted to RM1,000) on:
- Complete medical examination for self, spouse or child
- COVID-19 detection test including purchase of self-detection test kit for self, spouse or child
- Mental health examination or consultation for self, spouse or child
- Lifestyle – Expenses for the use / benefit of self, spouse or child (RM2,500) as well as for breastfeeding equipment
- And much more.
Having a child is a life-long commitment. As they grow older, you will need to consider other costs such as their education and hobbies. However, it will be worth it as Nicholas Sparks, a famous author once said, “What it’s like to be a parent: It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love.”
