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 $912 per month in Alor Setar vs $651 in Bandung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,309 per month in Alor Setar vs $951 in Bandung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,707 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,250 in Bandung, rent included.

Alor Setar costs about 40% more than Bandung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alor Setar and Bandung are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 34% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 MYR 8.51

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

45.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 MYR 50.5

$13.87 Rp 244.1K

-10.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.81

$3.35 Rp 59.0K

23.28%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MYR 7.80

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

28.86%

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

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.46 Rp 8,134

15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MYR 1.28

$0.23 Rp 4,032

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

-19.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$3.06 Rp 53.9K

43.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.56

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$1.00 Rp 17.6K

-15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.88

$0.83 Rp 14.5K

103.61%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.30

$1.50 Rp 26.3K

3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.86 MYR 64.5

$7.37 Rp 129.8K

115.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 MYR 20.24

$2.87 Rp 50.6K

73.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 MYR 40.85

$7.81 Rp 137.5K

28.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

11.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

18.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.55

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

56.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.16

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

35.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.55

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

-21.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

-57.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

9.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$0.44 Rp 7,660

47.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MYR 18.91

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

75.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.55 MYR 87.7

$22.98 Rp 404.6K

-6.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 MYR 9.85

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

24.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.90

$3.33 Rp 58.6K

9.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.29 Rp 5,159

165.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 50.8

$9.69 Rp 170.5K

28.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

45.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$0.53 Rp 9,244

-3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 MYR 27.25

$2.39 Rp 42.0K

180.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

-40.48%

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

$42.7K MYR 173.6K

$21.9K Rp 385.2M

95.06%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.0K

$29.1K Rp 512.4M

-2.87%

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

$51.8 MYR 211

$34.81 Rp 612.8K

48.81%

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

$7.58 MYR 30.85

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

73.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 MYR 89.3

$19.10 Rp 336.2K

14.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.67 MYR 165

$18.97 Rp 334.1K

114.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 MYR 27.03

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

9.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.99

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

67.38%

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

$175 MYR 712

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

85.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,032 MYR 20.5K

$8,481 Rp 149.3M

-40.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 MYR 221

$39.09 Rp 688.2K

38.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.61 MYR 145

$33.10 Rp 582.7K

7.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MYR 301

$77.3 Rp 1.4M

-4.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 287

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

-1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MYR 1,735

$218 Rp 3.8M

95.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,367

$186 Rp 3.3M

80.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,895

$384 Rp 6.8M

85.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,055

$266 Rp 4.7M

90.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 MYR 8,289

$723 Rp 12.7M

181.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,146 MYR 4,664

$312 Rp 5.5M

267.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,646 MYR 6,696

$288 Rp 5.1M

471.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

11.38

-61.07%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bandung: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Alor Setar versus $218 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 472% 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 $14.00 in Bandung. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Alor Setar vs $196 in Bandung – so Bandung 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 40% more than Bandung, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,368 per month in Alor Setar and $976 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 $175 per month in Alor Setar and $94.5 in Bandung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Alor Setar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $912 in Alor Setar and $651 in Bandung, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bandung costs $651 versus $912 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.