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 $967 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $840 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,438 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,323 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,908 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,806 in Penang, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor costs about 15% more than Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kajang, Selangor and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Kajang, Selangor 29% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 MYR 14.73

$3.59 MYR 14.52

1.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.03 MYR 89.0

$19.52 MYR 78.9

12.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 MYR 19.63

$4.66 MYR 18.81

4.29%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.11

$2.99 MYR 12.07

0.33%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$0.78 MYR 3.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.37 MYR 1.49

32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 MYR 17.66

$4.10 MYR 16.58

6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 MYR 25.10

$4.33 MYR 17.51

43.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.07

$1.87 MYR 7.57

-6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.48

$1.04 MYR 4.19

6.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.89

$1.69 MYR 6.85

-13.61%

Eggs

$1.74 MYR 7.03

$2.14 MYR 8.64

-18.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.60 MYR 75.2

$13.38 MYR 54.1

39.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 MYR 19.59

$4.32 MYR 17.45

12.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 38.54

$8.74 MYR 35.30

9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 MYR 13.63

$2.98 MYR 12.02

13.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.99

$1.66 MYR 6.71

4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 MYR 9.87

$2.49 MYR 10.05

-2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.45

$1.40 MYR 5.67

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.28

$1.06 MYR 4.29

23.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.96

$1.12 MYR 4.51

53.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.09 MYR 4.42

5.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.20

$0.55 MYR 2.21

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.85

$4.57 MYR 18.44

-8.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 MYR 57.4

$18.95 MYR 76.6

-25.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.74

$2.91 MYR 11.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 MYR 12.77

$4.18 MYR 16.89

-24.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.06

$0.48 MYR 1.93

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.24 MYR 49.44

$12.37 MYR 49.99

-1.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.88

$1.69 MYR 6.83

-28.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.37 MYR 1.51

108.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 MYR 19.55

$7.18 MYR 28.99

-32.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$0.88 MYR 3.54

-13.64%

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

$42.4K MYR 171.4K

$42.7K MYR 172.4K

-0.62%

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

$35.3K MYR 142.8K

$34.9K MYR 141.0K

1.27%

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

$52.0 MYR 210

$37.43 MYR 151

38.87%

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

$9.76 MYR 39.43

$9.84 MYR 39.75

-0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.65 MYR 104

$30.29 MYR 122

-15.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.83 MYR 149

$38.70 MYR 156

-4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 MYR 26.03

$4.89 MYR 19.77

31.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MYR 20.44

$5.12 MYR 20.70

-1.17%

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

$221 MYR 891

$431 MYR 1,742

-48.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,531 MYR 18.3K

$10.7K MYR 43.0K

-57.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MYR 264

$60.4 MYR 244

8.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.69 MYR 67.4

$35.47 MYR 143

-52.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 MYR 328

$84.4 MYR 341

-3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.54 MYR 168

$69.8 MYR 282

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 MYR 1,631

$402 MYR 1,622

0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,528

$228 MYR 921

65.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 MYR 3,267

$580 MYR 2,341

39.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 MYR 1,972

$467 MYR 1,888

4.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 MYR 8,278

$2,268 MYR 9,162

-9.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,054 MYR 4,259

$1,173 MYR 4,740

-10.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 MYR 3,763

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.49

-9.58%

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

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: August 17, 2026

Last update for Penang: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $404 in Kajang, Selangor versus $402 in Penang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $20.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $251 – making Penang 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: $967 in Kajang, Selangor, $840 in Penang – roughly 15% apart. Kajang, Selangor costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,451 per month in Kajang, Selangor and $1,260 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 $22.00 in Kajang, Selangor and $20.00 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 $967 in Kajang, Selangor and $840 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Penang, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Kajang, Selangor at $967. In Penang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kajang, Selangor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Penang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $840 in Penang to $967 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.