Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $941 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $862 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,420 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,379 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,899 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,895 in Penang, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor costs about 9% more than Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kajang, Selangor and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Kajang, Selangor 30% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.14

$3.10 MYR 12.24

15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.21 MYR 75.9

$21.13 MYR 83.5

-9.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$4.12 MYR 16.27

13.59%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.35

$2.88 MYR 11.36

8.68%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$0.70 MYR 2.75

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.33 MYR 1.32

48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 18.68

$4.30 MYR 16.98

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 MYR 23.56

$4.43 MYR 17.51

34.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.09

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.16

$1.03 MYR 4.05

1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.62

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-15.58%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.21

$2.04 MYR 8.07

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.70 MYR 62.0

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-9.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 MYR 19.93

$4.95 MYR 19.54

2.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 MYR 39.15

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-33.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 11.65

$2.88 MYR 11.38

2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.51 MYR 5.96

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 10.92

$2.63 MYR 10.38

4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 MYR 7.42

$2.09 MYR 8.24

-10.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.18 MYR 4.64

28.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.09

$1.17 MYR 4.63

52.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$0.91 MYR 3.59

34.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.48 MYR 1.91

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.03

$4.29 MYR 16.94

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.24 MYR 76.0

$19.41 MYR 76.7

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.79

$2.74 MYR 10.82

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.50

$3.39 MYR 13.39

-14.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.46 MYR 1.80

56.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.19

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-31.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$0.74 MYR 2.94

62.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$0.53 MYR 2.10

86.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 MYR 18.09

$6.95 MYR 27.46

-34.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.46 MYR 1.82

6.52%

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

$34.7K MYR 137.2K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

3.71%

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

$32.6K MYR 128.7K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

16.62%

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

$45.66 MYR 180

$39.31 MYR 155

16.15%

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

$9.57 MYR 37.79

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.09 MYR 123

$31.17 MYR 123

-0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 MYR 148

$33.28 MYR 131

12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.92

$5.39 MYR 21.30

7.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 MYR 19.82

$4.81 MYR 19.01

4.37%

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

$209 MYR 827

$240 MYR 947

-12.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,850 MYR 27.1K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

11.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 244

$54.4 MYR 215

13.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.64 MYR 149

$29.08 MYR 115

29.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 MYR 343

$60.4 MYR 239

43.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$52.6 MYR 208

35.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,532

$381 MYR 1,503

1.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,077

$227 MYR 895

20.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MYR 2,548

$639 MYR 2,524

0.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,834

$526 MYR 2,077

-11.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 MYR 6,777

$2,317 MYR 9,153

-25.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,022 MYR 4,038

$1,197 MYR 4,729

-14.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 MYR 2,490

$968 MYR 3,824

-34.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.16

-2.16%

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

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: April 25, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Kajang, Selangor versus $381 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 54% higher in Penang, 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 $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $21.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $286 – making Kajang, Selangor 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

Kajang, Selangor vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $941 in Kajang, Selangor, $862 in Penang – roughly 9% apart. Kajang, Selangor costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,412 per month in Kajang, Selangor and $1,294 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor and $21.00 in Penang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $941 in Kajang, Selangor and $862 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $941 in Kajang, Selangor and $862 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $862 in Penang to $941 in Kajang, Selangor. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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