Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $647 per month in Alor Setar vs $707 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,003 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,081 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,360 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,455 in Da Nang, rent included.

Alor Setar is about 8% cheaper than Da Nang, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Alor Setar and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 52% lower, Da Nang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 MYR 9.50

$1.94 ₫50.8K

24.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.59 MYR 45.78

$19.32 ₫506.9K

-40.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 16.50

$4.69 ₫122.9K

-10.87%

Cappuccino

$1.68 MYR 6.65

$1.57 ₫41.3K

7.01%

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

$0.55 MYR 2.17

$0.54 ₫14.2K

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.15

$0.29 ₫7,500

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 MYR 13.81

$1.02 ₫26.7K

243.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MYR 9.22

$1.68 ₫44.0K

39.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.42 ₫37.2K

14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 MYR 3.46

$1.00 ₫26.4K

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.60

$1.13 ₫29.5K

2.65%

Eggs

$1.46 MYR 5.78

$1.42 ₫37.3K

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MYR 47.22

$12.36 ₫324.3K

-3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 11.77

$3.79 ₫99.3K

-21.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 MYR 32.14

$10.17 ₫266.8K

-19.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.24

$2.75 ₫72.3K

3.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$0.93 ₫24.4K

10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.09 ₫28.5K

26.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.56

$1.09 ₫28.7K

99.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 MYR 3.77

$1.11 ₫29.1K

-13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.20 ₫31.6K

-58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.67

$1.05 ₫27.5K

-35.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.48 ₫12.5K

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 MYR 11.11

$1.36 ₫35.8K

106.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 MYR 34.38

$7.55 ₫198.2K

15.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.72

$0.80 ₫20.9K

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MYR 8.13

$1.67 ₫43.7K

23.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.34 ₫9,004

102.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 46.85

$3.78 ₫99.1K

213.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.74

$0.83 ₫21.8K

-16.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.01

$0.70 ₫18.4K

-27.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 MYR 28.60

$11.79 ₫309.2K

-38.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.92 ₫24.0K

-48.91%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.4K

$27.2K ₫713.0M

23.36%

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

$27.3K MYR 108.0K

$27.9K ₫730.7M

-1.85%

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

$37.96 MYR 150

$76.4 ₫2.0M

-50.30%

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

$6.91 MYR 27.29

$5.81 ₫152.5K

18.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.40 MYR 108

$8.47 ₫222.2K

223.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 MYR 145

$19.98 ₫524.2K

84.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 MYR 37.17

$7.68 ₫201.5K

22.53%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.10

$3.04 ₫79.7K

-7.57%

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

$80.9 MYR 319

$156 ₫4.1M

-48.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,317 MYR 21.0K

$12.7K ₫332.0M

-57.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.55 MYR 188

$39.04 ₫1.0M

21.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 MYR 115

$25.36 ₫665.3K

15.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 MYR 244

$52.7 ₫1.4M

17.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 MYR 209

$76.5 ₫2.0M

-30.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 MYR 1,153

$354 ₫9.3M

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MYR 687

$247 ₫6.5M

-29.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MYR 1,752

$743 ₫19.5M

-40.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,327

$459 ₫12.1M

-26.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 MYR 8,035

$3,867 ₫101.4M

-47.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$967 MYR 3,819

$1,277 ₫33.5M

-24.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MYR 4,477

$324 ₫8.5M

249.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

10.67

-61.01%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: April 27, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $292 in Alor Setar versus $354 in Da Nang. 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 250% higher in Alor Setar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Alor Setar versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $188 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $970 per month in Alor Setar and $1,060 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $80.9 per month in Alor Setar and $156 in Da Nang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Da Nang, 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 $647 in Alor Setar and $707 in Da Nang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $647 versus $707 in Da Nang. 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 Alor Setar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Da Nang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.