Some people like to go cafes to chill, drink, work, study or simply hanging out with friends. Do you like visiting cafes but pricing is always an issue? Well, if you are tight on a budget but want to head to one, fret not! Here is a list of ten affordable cafes that won’t burn a hole in your pocket!

PS: If you like studying out of home or after classes, you can consider these places!

BAIWAGO Plus Café

The best part about this café is that it’s open 24 hours! They have a few branches namely; Kuchai Lama, SS2, Puchong and EcoSky. You can come here to study, work, or even chill with friends. They do not serve savoury dishes but focuses more on cakes, bread and pastries. If you love pastries, here’s a good place for it! Oh, and they make really good Mocha too. With RM30, you can definitely get a good amount of pastries paired with a drink! If you want to get a birthday cake for a friend to surprise him or her during midnight, you know where to buy it from!

Kuchai Lama Branch Address: No 2-G, Jalan 3/116 B, Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur.

Contact: 03-79714471

Charlie’s Café

I personally love their Chicken Chop!

This café has a “homey” and cosy vibe. It is a simple place that serves good and affordable food! They are well-known for their Sawarak Laksa and Chicken Chop which costs below RM20. If you are craving for desserts, they offer cakes and tarts too. The café is situated in a quiet neighbourhood area at Taman Desa Kuala Lumpur. However, the street can be busy at times during weekends because it is a food haven up in there! You can definitely bring your friends over to makan and chill.

Address: 29, Jalan Bukit Desa 5, Taman Bukit Desa, 58100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 012-816 0003

Moonlight Cake House

I mean, look at the array of cakes!

From the name of it, you know what they are famous for: CAKES! They even have a website for you to order cakes. The cake business started in year 2007 and today, they have about 8-9 branches. However, I’ve only been to one which is in Sri Petaling. They do not only serve cakes and bread, but also food at the restaurant upstairs. You can definitely get a proper sandwich and burger for below RM30 with a drink. So, whether you want something sweet or savoury, they have both!

Address: 1-G, Jalan Radin Bagus 9, Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 03-9055 3331

Wake Me Up Café

Sounds catchy right? Well, I guess their sole purpose is to really wake you up with their coffee (pun intended). Situated in SS2, this places offers cakes and food. Although it is situated in a “hot” area, the pricing is affordable. Their coffee is also affordable and you can get a good cup of coffee for below RM15. You can have a full meal below RM30 and the place is relatively clean and comfy. That being said, the place is well-lit so for those who do not like to study or work in darker spots, I suggest this place.

Address: No. 117, Jalan SS 2/6, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor  

Contact:  03-7865 7729

IKEA Café

You have probably heard or been to Ikea restaurant but, have you been to Ikea Café? Well, you can hang out in the restaurant, but if you are looking for a better environment to chill or study, the Ikea Café would be more suitable. As far as I know, they have it in IPC Shopping Centre and MyTown shopping mall. In case you are not familiar, IKEA is known for its furniture store but they also expanded towards the Food & Beverage industry. Unlike the IKEA restaurant where you’ll get meatballs and pastas, the café serves coffee, juices, cakes and light bites; and of course, for a fraction of the price compared to other cafes. The place is clean, neat and comfortable; what more could you ask for?

Address: Ikano Power Centre. Mutiara Damansara, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Contact: 03-7718 5200

La Manila Café

This pink-looking cake house is iconic to me because, one, I grew up eating their cakes and two, it feels like home. This place has been around for a long time and I am not exactly sure the number of years. One thing is for sure, they’re not commercialized. Stepping into their café is like stepping into someone’s house. I enjoy their carrot cake a lot and I am pretty sure it’s one of their popular item there. Aside from cakes, they also serve up some hearty dishes. With a budget of RM30, you can get a decent meal with a cake afterwards.

Address: 24, Jalan SS 24/13, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Contact: 03-7805 4711

In house Signature café

You can opt for an al-fresco dining environment

Here is another 24-hours café! This is what I love about the café scene in Malaysia; we have no specific time for cafe-visiting. This place can be quite packed even during off-peak hours so, it will be more suitable to hang out with friends and lepak instead of working or studying there. They have a wide variety of food and drinks with affordable prices. With RM30, you can get a good meal and a drink. The portions at this place are generally generous.

Address: 47G, Jalan Kuchai Maju, Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 03-7971 0819

Lat Tali Lat Café

When I first heard the name of this place, I was amused. Like come on, it’s catchy, cute and yet, relevant to our childhood. This non-halal café serves up some really good Thai-inspired dishes like the pad-grapow (stir-fried Thai minced pork with basil leaves, white rice and a fried egg), nam ngeu (Northern Thai pork laksa), The GNS (glass noodles tossed in homemade Thai dressing, onions, tomatoes, shredded chicken and prawns) and more. With its cute and simple interior, you can hang out, chill and even take some photos with your friends. Their main dishes usually costs around RM15-RM20; depending on what you order. With that, you can order a drink and it rounds up to about RM30.

Address: 73, Jalan SS 20/11, Damansara Kim, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Contact: 03-7733 7373

Food Lover Café

I used to come here a lot during lunch hour because it is affordable and the food is up to par. There are a lot other restaurants around this area (Happy Mansion Section 17) but I chose here because they serve cakes too! There’s always room for desserts right? From what I recall, it does not get very crowded so it is a good space to eat and chat with your friends. Not too sure if it’s a “study” environment, but hey, whatever works for an individual! You can definitely get a meal plus a drink for RM30, and depending on what you order, you may even slide in a piece of cake too.

Address: AG-5, Block A, Happy Mansion, Jalan 17/13, Seksyen 17, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Contact: 03-7497 3636

Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock

This is not your average café. In fact, this is more like a Malaysian style café aka Kopitiam. I think the owners are very clever because most of the kopitiams around are commonly conquered by elderly people; it is like their hangout spot. As for Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock, the eatery attracted a lot of youngsters and working adults. So, it became a new hangout spot for the younger crowd. With RM30, you can sure dine like a King. It’s interior and pricing is what makes it so attractive. Do try their Nasi Lemak Ayam Berempah as it is one of the most popular item on the menu. There are a few branches around but I normally visit the one at Ara Damansara.

Address: Oasis Square, Lot B-G-01, 2, Jalan PJU 1A/7, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Contact: 03-7832 3138

Note *This article is mostly based on my personal opinion*

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