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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $651 per month in Bandung vs $912 in Alor Setar, rent included.

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

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

Bandung is about 29% cheaper than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

$2.09 MYR 8.51

-31.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.87 Rp 244.1K

$12.42 MYR 50.5

11.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.0K

$4.13 MYR 16.81

-18.89%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

$1.92 MYR 7.80

-22.40%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,134

$0.53 MYR 2.17

-13.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,032

$0.31 MYR 1.28

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

$2.47 MYR 10.03

23.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Rp 53.9K

$4.39 MYR 17.84

-30.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

$1.61 MYR 6.56

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 17.6K

$0.85 MYR 3.47

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.5K

$1.69 MYR 6.88

-50.89%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.3K

$1.55 MYR 6.30

-3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 Rp 129.8K

$15.86 MYR 64.5

-53.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 50.6K

$4.98 MYR 20.24

-42.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 137.5K

$10.04 MYR 40.85

-22.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$2.45 MYR 9.96

-10.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

$1.26 MYR 5.11

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

$2.35 MYR 9.55

-36.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

$1.27 MYR 5.16

-25.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

$0.87 MYR 3.55

27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

$0.80 MYR 3.27

136.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

$0.78 MYR 3.16

-8.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,660

$0.65 MYR 2.64

-32.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

$4.65 MYR 18.91

-43.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 404.6K

$21.55 MYR 87.7

6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

$2.42 MYR 9.85

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 Rp 58.6K

$3.66 MYR 14.90

-9.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,159

$0.77 MYR 3.13

-62.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.69 Rp 170.5K

$12.49 MYR 50.8

-22.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-31.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 Rp 9,244

$0.51 MYR 2.09

3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 Rp 42.0K

$6.70 MYR 27.25

-64.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$0.50 MYR 2.02

68.00%

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

$21.9K Rp 385.2M

$42.7K MYR 173.6K

-48.73%

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

$29.1K Rp 512.4M

$28.3K MYR 115.0K

2.95%

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

$34.81 Rp 612.8K

$51.8 MYR 211

-32.80%

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

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

$7.58 MYR 30.85

-42.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.10 Rp 336.2K

$21.95 MYR 89.3

-12.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.97 Rp 334.1K

$40.67 MYR 165

-53.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

$6.65 MYR 27.03

-8.42%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

$4.67 MYR 18.99

-40.26%

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

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

$175 MYR 712

-46.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,481 Rp 149.3M

$5,032 MYR 20.5K

68.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.09 Rp 688.2K

$54.2 MYR 221

-27.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.10 Rp 582.7K

$35.61 MYR 145

-7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 Rp 1.4M

$74.1 MYR 301

4.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

$70.5 MYR 287

1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 Rp 3.8M

$427 MYR 1,735

-48.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$336 MYR 1,367

-44.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 Rp 6.8M

$712 MYR 2,895

-46.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 Rp 4.7M

$505 MYR 2,055

-47.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$723 Rp 12.7M

$2,038 MYR 8,289

-64.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$312 Rp 5.5M

$1,146 MYR 4,664

-72.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 Rp 5.1M

$1,646 MYR 6,696

-82.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

4.43

156.88%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 6, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $218 in Bandung versus $427 in Alor Setar. 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 $14.00 in Bandung versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Bandung vs $253 in Alor Setar – 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

Bandung vs Alor Setar: 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 $976 per month in Bandung and $1,368 in Alor Setar. 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 $94.5 per month in Bandung and $175 in Alor Setar. 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 $651 in Bandung and $912 in Alor Setar, 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.