Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Penang

For one person, living is cheaper in Alor Setar: $868 a month against $913 in Penang, rent and utilities included – about $540 less a year. The total is higher in Penang despite lower rent and utilities.

42

Cost of Living Index in Alor Setar
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Alor Setar Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index

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Alor Setar

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$868

/mo nomad

Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Penang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $868 per month in Alor Setar vs $913 in Penang, rent included.

Alor Setar $868
Penang $913

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,403 in Penang, rent included.

Alor Setar $1,310
Penang $1,403

A family of three spends $1,752 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,894 in Penang, rent included.

Alor Setar $1,752
Penang $1,894

Alor Setar is about 5% cheaper than Penang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Alor Setar and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 36% lower, Penang 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 MYR 8.38

$3.73 MYR 15.18

-44.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.28 MYR 50.0

$19.91 MYR 81.1

-38.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 MYR 16.65

$4.78 MYR 19.47

-14.44%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$2.98 MYR 12.15

-35.57%

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

$0.54 MYR 2.18

$0.75 MYR 3.07

-28.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.23

$0.37 MYR 1.50

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 MYR 16.71

$4.06 MYR 16.55

0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.42

$4.38 MYR 17.83

3.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.56

$1.86 MYR 7.60

-13.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$1.08 MYR 4.41

-21.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.11

$1.76 MYR 7.19

-0.57%

Eggs

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$2.22 MYR 9.04

-31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.63 MYR 55.5

$13.46 MYR 54.9

1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.62

$4.45 MYR 18.13

-2.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 MYR 34.51

$8.70 MYR 35.45

-2.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 MYR 12.50

$2.92 MYR 11.89

5.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.84

$1.65 MYR 6.72

-27.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.61

$2.61 MYR 10.63

-0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.98

$1.40 MYR 5.70

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.05 MYR 4.28

0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 MYR 4.38

$1.12 MYR 4.55

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.10 MYR 4.47

-0.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.59 MYR 2.39

-3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 MYR 18.13

$4.69 MYR 19.09

-5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 MYR 77.0

$19.31 MYR 78.7

-2.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.15

$3.00 MYR 12.24

-0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 MYR 21.11

$5.41 MYR 22.04

-4.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.50 MYR 2.04

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.69 MYR 51.7

$12.03 MYR 49.00

5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.03

$1.66 MYR 6.78

4.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 MYR 1.66

$0.38 MYR 1.54

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 MYR 30.09

$7.47 MYR 30.44

-1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.95 MYR 3.85

-48.42%

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

$45.3K MYR 184.5K

$44.2K MYR 180.1K

2.47%

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

$35.8K MYR 146.1K

$35.8K MYR 145.7K

0.24%

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

$37.81 MYR 154

$36.68 MYR 149

3.08%

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

$7.47 MYR 30.44

$9.56 MYR 38.94

-21.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 MYR 89.3

$29.49 MYR 120

-25.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.64 MYR 153

$39.20 MYR 160

-3.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.37 MYR 25.95

$4.85 MYR 19.78

31.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 MYR 19.68

$4.78 MYR 19.47

1.05%

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

$396 MYR 1,615

$398 MYR 1,620

-0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.6K

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

0.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 MYR 243

$60.9 MYR 248

-2.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 MYR 146

$35.45 MYR 144

0.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 MYR 333

$83.6 MYR 340

-2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 MYR 281

$70.2 MYR 286

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 MYR 1,713

$408 MYR 1,662

3.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 MYR 1,197

$287 MYR 1,170

2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 MYR 2,660

$698 MYR 2,842

-6.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 MYR 2,167

$534 MYR 2,176

-0.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,256 MYR 9,193

$2,117 MYR 8,624

6.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 MYR 4,712

$1,261 MYR 5,137

-8.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,600 MYR 6,519

$931 MYR 3,795

71.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Alor Setar: October 25, 2026

Last update for Penang: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Alor Setar

$294 33.8%

Penang

$287 31.5% 2.2% $6.6

Groceries & Markets

Alor Setar

$245 28.3%

Penang

$257 28.2% 4.8% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Alor Setar

$111 12.8%

Penang

$113 12.3% 1.7% $1.8

Eating Out

Alor Setar

$85 9.8%

Penang

$113 12.4% 34% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alor Setar

$67 7.7%

Penang

$76 8.3% 12.7% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Alor Setar

$47 5.5%

Penang

$49 5.3% 3.1% $1.5

Getting Around

Alor Setar

$19 2.2%

Penang

$18 1.9% 8.6% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Alor Setar versus $408 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 72% 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 in Alor Setar versus $20 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $257 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Alor Setar

🇲🇾 Penang

🕒 Local time

04:13 4:13 AM

Same time as Alor Setar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

423,868

158,336

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Alor Setar Penang 85 km

From you

Alor Setar
Penang

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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang costs about 5% 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 $1,303 per month in Alor Setar and $1,369 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $421 in Alor Setar and $408 in Penang. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $396 per month in Alor Setar and $398 in Penang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Penang, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $868 in Alor Setar and $913 in Penang. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $868 in Alor Setar to $913 in Penang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.