I'm not in favor of using beer as a gauge of cost of living, as taxation skews the cost and it is unhealthy to drink often.  I'm sure Malaysians have their own way of keeping costs of living low like dining at home instead of going for restaurants/buffets (which have varying costs depending on the quality and spread of food).

As I travelled for work, I stayed briefly at each city center/tourist area, which could have accounted for my perception of high cost in Germany.  The exchange rate could have exacerbated the perception.  But I still maintain that Malaysia's cost of living, although is getting higher, is still quite affordable.  At least you don't see a lot of old people wiping tables or sweeping the roads, just to survive like in Singapore.