Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Alor Setar vs $626 in Bandung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,040 per month in Alor Setar vs $941 in Bandung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,401 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,255 in Bandung, rent included.

Alor Setar costs about 9% more than Bandung, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Alor Setar and Bandung are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 49% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 MYR 9.77

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

81.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.99 MYR 49.08

$9.48 Rp 169.6K

26.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 MYR 16.38

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

20.85%

Cappuccino

$1.62 MYR 6.63

$1.49 Rp 26.6K

8.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.27

$0.52 Rp 9,331

5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.27 Rp 4,866

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 MYR 14.64

$3.31 Rp 59.3K

8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MYR 9.47

$3.52 Rp 62.9K

-34.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.57

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 MYR 3.58

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

-18.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

23.16%

Eggs

$1.47 MYR 6.00

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

-7.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 MYR 49.46

$8.96 Rp 160.3K

34.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 MYR 12.38

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

-3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 MYR 34.61

$8.08 Rp 144.5K

4.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.37

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

17.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

-19.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.67

$1.73 Rp 30.9K

-19.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MYR 8.50

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

-39.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$2.70 Rp 48.3K

-80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.84

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

-23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.98

$0.42 Rp 7,563

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 MYR 11.35

$2.53 Rp 45.2K

9.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 MYR 77.5

$21.74 Rp 389.0K

-12.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$2.12 Rp 37.9K

-43.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MYR 8.54

$3.54 Rp 63.4K

-40.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$0.30 Rp 5,345

146.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 MYR 48.82

$10.26 Rp 183.5K

16.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-1.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

-32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 MYR 28.65

$2.59 Rp 46.3K

170.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

-41.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.0K MYR 139.2K

$24.4K Rp 436.8M

39.28%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.0K MYR 114.4K

$25.8K Rp 460.7M

8.54%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$39.42 MYR 161

$44.02 Rp 787.6K

-10.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.26 MYR 29.71

$4.47 Rp 80.0K

62.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.83 MYR 110

$22.86 Rp 409.0K

17.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.19 MYR 148

$21.68 Rp 387.9K

66.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.65 MYR 39.51

$6.60 Rp 118.1K

46.21%

Cinema Ticket

$2.91 MYR 11.91

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

-7.03%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$82.5 MYR 338

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

-11.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,299 MYR 21.7K

$7,512 Rp 134.4M

-29.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.53 MYR 195

$41.31 Rp 739.1K

15.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 MYR 119

$30.79 Rp 550.8K

-5.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 MYR 254

$58.6 Rp 1.0M

5.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 MYR 219

$64.3 Rp 1.2M

-16.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 MYR 1,220

$235 Rp 4.2M

26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MYR 713

$152 Rp 2.7M

14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,858

$464 Rp 8.3M

-2.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 MYR 1,401

$247 Rp 4.4M

38.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,225 MYR 9,105

$705 Rp 12.6M

215.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,040 MYR 4,256

$305 Rp 5.5M

241.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,620 MYR 6,629

$277 Rp 5.0M

485.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

9.15

-54.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alor Setar: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bandung: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $298 in Alor Setar versus $235 in Bandung. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 485% higher in Alor Setar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Alor Setar versus $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Alor Setar vs $214 in Bandung – so Alor Setar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Alor Setar vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alor Setar costs about 9% more than Bandung, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,020 per month in Alor Setar and $939 in Bandung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandung, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $82.5 per month in Alor Setar and $93.0 in Bandung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Alor Setar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $680 in Alor Setar and $626 in Bandung, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bandung costs $626 versus $680 in Alor Setar. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bandung. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alor Setar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.