Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampar and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampar and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $846 per month in Kampar vs $867 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,287 per month in Kampar vs $1,368 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,729 per month in Kampar vs $1,870 in Penang, rent included.

Kampar is about 2% cheaper than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kampar and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Kampar 36% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 MYR 8.51

$3.08 MYR 12.57

-32.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.7

$21.63 MYR 88.3

-13.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MYR 18.66

$4.15 MYR 16.95

10.12%

Cappuccino

$2.40 MYR 9.81

$2.97 MYR 12.12

-19.19%

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

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-39.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.33 MYR 1.37

48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 MYR 8.70

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-50.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 MYR 24.44

$4.45 MYR 18.19

34.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-33.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.79

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-19.42%

Eggs

$1.65 MYR 6.75

$2.12 MYR 8.67

-22.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 MYR 57.3

$17.00 MYR 69.4

-17.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 MYR 19.27

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-9.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 MYR 28.29

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-53.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$2.91 MYR 11.88

2.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.73

$1.45 MYR 5.92

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.60

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-2.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.99

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.97

$1.13 MYR 4.62

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.65

$1.20 MYR 4.91

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$0.89 MYR 3.62

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.48 MYR 1.96

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.64

$4.19 MYR 17.12

3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 MYR 73.7

$19.28 MYR 78.7

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$2.65 MYR 10.84

28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MYR 17.87

$3.40 MYR 13.88

28.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.45 MYR 1.83

64.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.03

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-32.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$0.74 MYR 3.04

56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.24

$0.51 MYR 2.06

103.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 MYR 18.79

$6.90 MYR 28.19

-33.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-6.00%

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

$39.9K MYR 162.9K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

17.07%

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

$32.7K MYR 133.7K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

19.73%

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

$47.20 MYR 193

$39.05 MYR 159

20.87%

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

$4.81 MYR 19.65

$10.17 MYR 41.54

-52.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.14 MYR 86.3

$31.51 MYR 129

-32.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.14 MYR 152

$32.40 MYR 132

14.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 MYR 23.89

$5.53 MYR 22.59

5.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 MYR 19.10

$4.81 MYR 19.62

-2.70%

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

$117 MYR 479

$240 MYR 978

-51.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,280 MYR 37.9K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

50.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 MYR 238

$55.3 MYR 226

5.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.61 MYR 47.42

$29.23 MYR 119

-60.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 MYR 289

$61.1 MYR 249

16.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 291

$52.7 MYR 215

35.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,577

$382 MYR 1,558

1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,119

$225 MYR 920

21.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MYR 2,650

$636 MYR 2,596

2.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,917

$522 MYR 2,131

-10.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,106 MYR 8,600

$2,203 MYR 8,997

-4.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,101 MYR 4,495

$1,160 MYR 4,735

-5.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 MYR 1,478

$942 MYR 3,846

-61.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.16

7.45%

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

Last update for Kampar: July 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Kampar versus $382 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 160% higher in Penang, 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 $19.00 in Kampar versus $22.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $286 – making Kampar 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

Kampar vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Penang is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,269 per month in Kampar and $1,300 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kampar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $846 in Kampar and $867 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Kampar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $846 in Kampar and $867 in Penang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kampar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kampar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.