Southeast Asia

Money, cards and tipping in Malaysia

Capital: Kuala LumpurMalay, English, Chinese, TamilUpdated October 2026

MYRRinggit

Money in Malaysia

Mixed: cards and cash Cards and contactless work in malls, chains and most restaurants; hawker stalls, night markets and small shops want cash or DuitNow QR. US$1 ≈ RM4.08 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Not expected; many restaurants add a 10% service charge plus SST. Round up or leave small change for good service.
ATMs: Many bank ATMs add no local fee for foreign cards; your own bank's fees still apply. Decline currency conversion offers.
Paying by phone: Apple and Google Pay widely accepted; DuitNow QR works with linked apps like Alipay+ and some Asian banking apps.
Price level: about 32% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Kuala Lumpur	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in malls, chains and most restaurants; cash or DuitNow QR for hawker stalls, night markets and small shops.
Penang	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and many cafés; cash or DuitNow QR for hawker centres, kopitiams, markets and trishaws.
Langkawi	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in resorts and duty-free shops; cash or DuitNow QR for local food stalls, scooter rentals, taxis and small shops.
Malacca	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls and hotels; cash or DuitNow QR for Jonker Street stalls, hawkers, trishaws and small shops.
Kota Kinabalu	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in hotels, malls and chains; cash or DuitNow QR for night markets, fish markets, minibuses and small shops.
Cameron Highlands	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in hotels and some restaurants; cash for night market, tea-house stalls, farm shops and taxis. ATMs in Tanah Rata and Brinchang.
Perhentian Islands	Mostly cash	Mostly cash; bring enough ringgit from Kuala Besut or Kota Bharu, as ATMs are scarce and cards are accepted only at larger resorts.
Ipoh	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls and chains; cash or DuitNow QR for coffee shops, hawker stalls and wet markets.
Johor Bahru	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless in malls and chains; cash or DuitNow QR for hawkers and night markets. Singapore dollars are accepted in some shops.
Genting Highlands	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in hotels, malls and chains; cash for some food-court stalls and tips.
Kuching	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for kopitiams, markets, boats and small shops. Sarawak Pay QR is common.
Tioman	Mostly cash	Mostly cash; carry ringgit from Mersing since ATMs are few and cards only work at larger resorts.
Redang	Mixed: cards and cash	Resorts take cards; carry cash for the village, boat tips and small purchases. ATMs are not available on the island.
Semporna	Mostly cash	Mostly cash; resorts and dive shops take cards but add fees. ATMs in town are limited, so withdraw in Tawau or Kota Kinabalu.
Sandakan	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in hotels, malls and larger lodges; cash for markets, taxis, buses and small restaurants.
Taman Negara	Mostly cash	Cash in ringgit for boats, guides and village eateries; a few guesthouses take cards. Withdraw cash in Jerantut before arriving.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Malaysia?

Not expected; many restaurants add a 10% service charge plus SST. Round up or leave small change for good service.

Is Malaysia cashless?

Mixed: cards and cash. Cards and contactless work in malls, chains and most restaurants; hawker stalls, night markets and small shops want cash or DuitNow QR.

What currency does Malaysia use?

The Ringgit (MYR). US$1 ≈ RM4.08 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.