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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Alor Setar vs $846 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,309 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,313 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,707 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,779 in Penang, rent included.

Alor Setar costs about 8% more than Penang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Alor Setar and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 34% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 MYR 8.51

$3.73 MYR 15.18

-43.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.42 MYR 50.5

$20.03 MYR 81.5

-37.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.81

$4.83 MYR 19.66

-14.49%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MYR 7.80

$2.94 MYR 11.95

-34.69%

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

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.71 MYR 2.90

-25.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MYR 1.28

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-41.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$4.50 MYR 18.32

-2.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.56

$1.79 MYR 7.26

-10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-22.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.88

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-2.31%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.30

$2.23 MYR 9.05

-30.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.86 MYR 64.5

$13.37 MYR 54.4

18.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 MYR 20.24

$4.37 MYR 17.78

13.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 MYR 40.85

$9.00 MYR 36.60

11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.87 MYR 11.67

-14.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$1.70 MYR 6.90

-25.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.55

$2.61 MYR 10.64

-9.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.16

$1.46 MYR 5.94

-13.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.55

$1.13 MYR 4.58

-23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$1.17 MYR 4.77

-31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$1.11 MYR 4.51

-29.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.64

$0.58 MYR 2.35

12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MYR 18.91

$4.54 MYR 18.45

2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.55 MYR 87.7

$19.54 MYR 79.5

10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 MYR 9.85

$2.91 MYR 11.85

-16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.90

$3.98 MYR 16.20

-8.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.48 MYR 1.94

60.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.49 MYR 50.8

$12.28 MYR 49.95

1.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-28.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$0.42 MYR 1.70

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 MYR 27.25

$7.61 MYR 30.97

-11.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$0.84 MYR 3.40

-40.48%

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

$42.7K MYR 173.6K

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

2.59%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.0K

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

-18.64%

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

$51.8 MYR 211

$37.45 MYR 152

38.32%

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

$7.58 MYR 30.85

$9.83 MYR 40.01

-22.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 MYR 89.3

$29.72 MYR 121

-26.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.67 MYR 165

$38.51 MYR 157

5.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 MYR 27.03

$4.81 MYR 19.57

38.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.99

$5.31 MYR 21.59

-12.05%

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

$175 MYR 712

$435 MYR 1,769

-59.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,032 MYR 20.5K

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

-52.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 MYR 221

$60.3 MYR 245

-9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.61 MYR 145

$34.72 MYR 141

2.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MYR 301

$85.3 MYR 347

-13.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 287

$70.8 MYR 288

-0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MYR 1,735

$399 MYR 1,623

6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,367

$228 MYR 928

47.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,895

$591 MYR 2,406

20.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,055

$417 MYR 1,694

21.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 MYR 8,289

$2,235 MYR 9,094

-8.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,146 MYR 4,664

$1,068 MYR 4,346

7.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,646 MYR 6,696

$923 MYR 3,754

78.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

4.24

4.48%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: September 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Alor Setar versus $399 in Penang. 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 78% 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 $20.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $255 – 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alor Setar costs about 8% more than Penang, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,368 per month in Alor Setar and $1,270 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penang, 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 $435 in Penang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Alor Setar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $912 in Alor Setar and $846 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Penang costs $846 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 Penang. 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.