Three Malaysian cities – Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and George Town – were ranked among the cheapest cities in Asia for expats to live in. According to the latest cost of living research by ECA International, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia took the top spot as Asia’s cheapest city.

Meanwhile, Singapore ranked 21st out of 260 cities, dropping out from being among the top 20 most expensive locations in the world for expats. Total of 26 of the top 50 most expensive cities this year were located in Asia, with 14 cities from China. Tokyo is still named as the most expensive city within Asia-Pacific.

ECA International’s regional director for Asia, Lee Quane, said this highlighted the apparent contradiction for many companies that have moved their employees within Asia.

“Asia is home to some of the world’s most expensive locations as well [some of] its cheapest. This level of variety is only matched in Africa which is home to both the world’s most expensive location and its cheapest,” Quane said in a statement on ECA International’s results from its latest survey in September.

“Although Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, claims the status as Asia’s cheapest location, it is closely followed by locations in Malaysia — with Kuala Lumpur down to 213th in the global rankings,” ECA International said.

“Ulaanbaatar is joined by Johor Bahru, George Town (Penang), Yangon, and Karachi in making up the cheapest locations in Asia, with all these locations falling in our global rankings over the past 12 months.”

According to Malay Mail Online, the statement didn’t provide the global rank based on living costs for Johor Baru or George Town, neither did it explain why the two cities were among the cheapest in the region.

On the other end of the cost of living spectrum, over half of the world’s 50 most expensive cities are also located in Asia, with the top 20 most expensive cities mostly located in China, as shown below.