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 $647 in Bandung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,049 per month in Alor Setar vs $949 in Bandung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,417 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,251 in Bandung, rent included.

Alor Setar costs about 5% 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 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 MYR 9.24

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

82.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.63 MYR 46.11

$9.42 Rp 168.2K

23.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.16 MYR 16.51

$3.43 Rp 61.3K

21.28%

Cappuccino

$1.62 MYR 6.44

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

12.50%

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

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$0.49 Rp 8,684

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.06

$0.25 Rp 4,435

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 MYR 13.99

$3.28 Rp 58.6K

7.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MYR 9.22

$3.57 Rp 63.7K

-35.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MYR 6.48

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

38.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 MYR 3.52

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

-16.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.77

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

27.66%

Eggs

$1.50 MYR 5.96

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

-5.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 MYR 46.62

$9.33 Rp 166.6K

26.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 MYR 32.79

$7.92 Rp 141.5K

4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.47

$2.37 Rp 42.2K

21.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.12

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

-21.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.47

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

-18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.29

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MYR 3.50

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

-40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MYR 2.13

$2.67 Rp 47.6K

-79.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.46 Rp 8,203

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 MYR 11.13

$2.57 Rp 45.8K

9.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.36 MYR 76.8

$22.35 Rp 399.2K

-13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$2.10 Rp 37.5K

-44.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MYR 8.32

$3.49 Rp 62.3K

-39.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.30 Rp 5,342

130.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 46.63

$10.57 Rp 188.8K

11.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

-2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MYR 2.16

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

-22.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 MYR 28.68

$2.59 Rp 46.2K

179.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

-43.21%

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

$33.8K MYR 134.0K

$24.4K Rp 435.3M

38.64%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.8K

$26.4K Rp 471.5M

5.80%

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

$39.16 MYR 155

$43.12 Rp 770.0K

-9.18%

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

$7.01 MYR 27.80

$4.52 Rp 80.8K

55.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.13 MYR 108

$22.94 Rp 409.7K

18.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.34 MYR 144

$21.48 Rp 383.6K

69.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.33 MYR 37.00

$6.62 Rp 118.3K

40.94%

Cinema Ticket

$2.76 MYR 10.95

$3.16 Rp 56.4K

-12.66%

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

$83.4 MYR 331

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

-11.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,240 MYR 20.8K

$7,577 Rp 135.3M

-30.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.55 MYR 185

$41.84 Rp 747.3K

11.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.70 MYR 114

$30.57 Rp 545.8K

-6.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 MYR 246

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 208

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

-17.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 MYR 1,185

$234 Rp 4.2M

27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 MYR 675

$156 Rp 2.8M

8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 MYR 1,752

$447 Rp 8.0M

-1.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MYR 1,328

$247 Rp 4.4M

35.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 MYR 7,582

$723 Rp 12.9M

164.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$900 MYR 3,569

$309 Rp 5.5M

191.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,649 MYR 6,536

$284 Rp 5.1M

481.25%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bandung: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $299 in Alor Setar versus $234 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 481% 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 – $209 in Alor Setar vs $215 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 5% 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 $1,021 per month in Alor Setar and $971 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 $83.4 per month in Alor Setar and $94.4 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 $647 in Bandung, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bandung costs $647 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.