Convert Malaysian Ringgit to Korean Won
Convert Malaysian ringgit (MYR) to Korean won (KRW) at the mid-market rate and see what a Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu price really comes to in won — plus how banks and cards actually charge you.
🔒 Unit conversions are computed in your browser (exchange rates via public API only).
What moves the ringgit: oil, palm oil, and the US dollar
The ringgit isn't a pure free float — Malaysia's central bank (Bank Negara Malaysia) leans against sharp swings. Because Malaysia exports a lot of crude oil, LNG, palm oil, and semiconductors, the ringgit often firms up when commodity and oil prices rise. When the US Federal Reserve hikes and the dollar strengthens, emerging-market currencies like the ringgit tend to come under pressure. The won reacts to the dollar in a similar way, so the MYR-KRW rate largely depends on how both currencies move against the greenback.
Reading 'RM' prices and sizing them up in won
Local prices are written with 'RM' (RM50 means 50 ringgit). Unlike the dong or rupiah, the ringgit doesn't carry a lot of zeros — one ringgit is worth a few hundred won — so the math stays fairly intuitive. If one ringgit were around 320 won, a RM15 hawker meal would be roughly 4,800 won and a RM400 hotel night about 128,000 won. The subunit is the 'sen' (100 sen = 1 ringgit), which shows up on change, fuel, and supermarket prices.
Cash, Touch 'n Go, and what your card really charges
Malls, hotels, and chains in Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu take contactless Visa and Mastercard easily, but wet markets, hawker centres, and small stalls often run on cash or local e-wallets like Touch 'n Go and GrabPay. It's safest to carry some ringgit cash and use a card alongside it. If a terminal asks whether you'd like to pay in Korean won, paying in local MYR is usually cheaper, since choosing won adds a dynamic currency conversion markup. The figure shown here is the mid-market rate, so your actual card statement or exchange will differ by the spread.
Frequently asked questions
Where does this ringgit rate come from?
It's the base (mid-market) rate published by the Export-Import Bank of Korea each business day, around 11 a.m. Korea time. We fetch it once a day and cache it, so it doesn't tick in real time while you're on the page. On weekends and holidays there's no new posting, so the last business day's rate stays put, with the reference date shown.
So will a bank or airport give me exactly this rate?
No. This is the mid-market rate; banks, exchange counters, and card networks add a spread and fees on top. Buying physical ringgit usually carries the widest spread, so you'll typically pay more won than the screen shows, and airport counters tend to be worse than in-town ones. Coming prepared or leaning on a card often works out better than converting won cash on the spot.
Cash or card for a Malaysia trip?
Cards work well at malls, hotels, and chains, but hawker centres, markets, and small shops often prefer cash or local e-wallets, so it helps to keep some ringgit on hand. When you do pay by card, decline dynamic currency conversion and pay in MYR to avoid an extra markup.