Dealing with currency in Kuala Lumpur and the rest of Malaysia is a relatively straightforward but can be rather challenging if you are a traveller making your way around in the country and trying to deal with local currency.
The Basic
Compared to US dollars, the Malaysian ringgit is colourful and creative. They are also made so that visually impaired people can judge amounts using the denominations. The local abbreviation is RM and 1 RM is equal to 100 sen which is Malaysian cents.
The Malaysian Ringgit
The word ringgit means jagged in Malay and comes from the Spanish silver dollar coins that had rough edges and were used in the country during colonial times.
Using Currency in KL
If you are staying in a prestigious studio apartment in Kuala Lumpur the likes of PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur, you don’t have to worry about dealing with currency as most luxury resorts accept transactions in foreign currency. But if you want to go shopping in the street markets and small shops, you should know your way around the currency.
Malaysian Coins
The Malaysian RM is equal to 100 sen. The coins are so small and lightweight that it feels like counterfeit coins. They come in 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 sen coins.
