Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Alor Setar: $881 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $23,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Alor Setar
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Alor Setar Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Alor Setar

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$881

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alor Setar and in Melbourne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Alor Setar and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $881 per month in Alor Setar vs $2,821 in Melbourne, rent included.

Alor Setar $881
Melbourne $2,821

A couple spends around $1,277 per month in Alor Setar vs $4,235 in Melbourne, rent included.

Alor Setar $1,277
Melbourne $4,235

A family of three spends $1,672 per month in Alor Setar vs $5,650 in Melbourne, rent included.

Alor Setar $1,672
Melbourne $5,650

Alor Setar is about 69% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Alor Setar sits 35% below the global median, while Melbourne is 109% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 MYR 8.48

$17.43 A$25.08

-88.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.30 MYR 50.2

$84.6 A$122

-85.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 17.44

$12.46 A$17.92

-65.65%

Cappuccino

$1.82 MYR 7.40

$4.11 A$5.91

-55.72%

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

$0.56 MYR 2.30

$3.06 A$4.40

-81.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.24

$2.52 A$3.62

-88.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 MYR 17.33

$9.80 A$14.10

-56.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 MYR 17.68

$8.57 A$12.33

-49.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MYR 6.51

$1.48 A$2.14

8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MYR 3.49

$2.94 A$4.23

-71.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.85

$2.66 A$3.82

-36.84%

Eggs

$1.51 MYR 6.17

$5.54 A$7.97

-72.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.63 MYR 55.6

$10.51 A$15.13

29.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 MYR 17.76

$9.65 A$13.89

-54.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 MYR 35.68

$15.22 A$21.91

-42.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 MYR 11.98

$3.99 A$5.75

-26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.04

$3.02 A$4.34

-58.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 MYR 11.10

$3.10 A$4.46

-12.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$4.82 A$6.93

-69.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.33

$3.03 A$4.36

-65.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$2.44 A$3.52

-53.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MYR 4.48

$2.46 A$3.54

-55.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.18

$1.63 A$2.34

-66.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 MYR 18.37

$44.07 A$63.4

-89.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.89 MYR 77.1

$12.70 A$18.28

48.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.83

$5.54 A$7.97

-47.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 MYR 21.88

$5.23 A$7.52

2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$3.74 A$5.38

-78.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.78 MYR 43.98

$138 A$198

-92.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 MYR 6.80

$4.51 A$6.50

-62.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 MYR 1.65

$1.36 A$1.96

-70.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 MYR 30.08

$30.45 A$43.81

-75.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$1.47 A$2.12

-65.31%

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

$41.8K MYR 170.3K

$29.0K A$41.7K

43.98%

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

$35.9K MYR 146.6K

$26.5K A$38.1K

35.74%

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

$37.61 MYR 153

$234 A$336

-83.91%

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

$7.49 MYR 30.57

$27.93 A$40.19

-73.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.82 MYR 89.0

$55.7 A$80.2

-60.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.96 MYR 163

$49.40 A$71.1

-19.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.19 MYR 29.33

$21.48 A$30.91

-66.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.19

$15.09 A$21.72

-67.20%

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

$427 MYR 1,741

$2,371 A$3,412

-82.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.7K

$30.2K A$43.5K

-64.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 MYR 246

$80.0 A$115

-24.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.46 MYR 141

$50.7 A$73.0

-32.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 MYR 336

$121 A$174

-31.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 MYR 281

$130 A$188

-47.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,513

$1,759 A$2,531

-78.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MYR 1,246

$1,390 A$2,000

-78.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 MYR 2,700

$3,494 A$5,027

-81.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 MYR 1,831

$2,493 A$3,588

-82.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,986 MYR 8,103

$6,926 A$9,967

-71.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 MYR 3,958

$6,445 A$9,274

-84.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,642 MYR 6,697

$4,383 A$6,307

-62.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

5.9

-31.53%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: October 11, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Alor Setar

$305 34.7%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 355% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Alor Setar

$246 27.9%

Melbourne

$384 13.6% 56.3% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Alor Setar

$111 12.6%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 55.2% $61

Eating Out

Alor Setar

$85 9.6%

Melbourne

$315 11.2% 272% $230

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alor Setar

$67 7.6%

Melbourne

$317 11.3% 374% $250

Sport & Entertainment

Alor Setar

$50 5.7%

Melbourne

$80 2.8% 59.6% $30

Getting Around

Alor Setar

$18 2%

Melbourne

$164 5.8% 830% $146

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $371 in Alor Setar versus $1,759 in Melbourne. 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 167% higher in Melbourne, 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 $85.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $384 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Alor Setar

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

02:47 2:47 AM

05:47 5:47 AM

3 h ahead of Alor Setar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

423,868

5,031,195

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Alor Setar Melbourne 6,720 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Alor Setar
Melbourne

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne costs about 220% more than Alor Setar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,321 per month in Alor Setar and $4,231 in Melbourne. 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 $427 per month in Alor Setar and $2,371 in Melbourne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alor Setar, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Alor Setar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alor Setar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.