Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $865 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $869 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,324 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,385 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,901 in Penang, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis and Penang have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.62

$3.04 MYR 12.34

18.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 MYR 77.1

$21.59 MYR 87.5

-11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.63

$4.33 MYR 17.57

6.00%

Cappuccino

$2.90 MYR 11.74

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-1.36%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.91

$0.68 MYR 2.78

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.36 MYR 1.48

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.49

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-18.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.61

$4.46 MYR 18.10

13.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.67

$1.81 MYR 7.32

4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.08

$0.99 MYR 4.00

2.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-36.95%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.40

$2.13 MYR 8.65

-2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 MYR 61.6

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 MYR 17.35

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-17.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 MYR 37.25

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-39.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.66

$2.87 MYR 11.66

0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.21

$1.47 MYR 5.96

4.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.25

$2.57 MYR 10.43

-1.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.81

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-32.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.81

$1.18 MYR 4.79

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$1.16 MYR 4.71

10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$0.95 MYR 3.87

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.49 MYR 1.97

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.48

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.52 MYR 79.2

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.49

$2.62 MYR 10.61

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.12

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-12.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.45 MYR 1.82

53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.73 MYR 47.57

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-32.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.67

$0.69 MYR 2.80

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$0.54 MYR 2.21

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.48

$7.20 MYR 29.19

-16.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.47 MYR 1.89

4.26%

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

$34.9K MYR 141.7K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

6.16%

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

$30.9K MYR 125.2K

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

13.26%

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

$44.11 MYR 179

$38.60 MYR 157

14.27%

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

$9.05 MYR 36.71

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-10.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MYR 119

$31.44 MYR 127

-6.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.25 MYR 147

$33.04 MYR 134

9.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.17

$5.42 MYR 21.97

9.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.84

$4.91 MYR 19.90

-0.41%

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

$186 MYR 754

$238 MYR 963

-21.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,789 MYR 27.5K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

9.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 250

$54.6 MYR 221

13.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 MYR 110

$28.39 MYR 115

-4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 MYR 296

$60.5 MYR 245

20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.96 MYR 203

$53.5 MYR 217

-6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,552

$387 MYR 1,569

-1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 MYR 1,113

$230 MYR 933

19.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 MYR 2,664

$640 MYR 2,597

2.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,916

$525 MYR 2,131

-10.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,212 MYR 8,968

$2,250 MYR 9,123

-1.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$919 MYR 3,728

$1,186 MYR 4,807

-22.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 MYR 3,858

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 Kangar, Perlis: June 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Kangar, Perlis versus $387 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 $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis versus $22.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $287 – making Kangar, Perlis 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

Kangar, Perlis vs Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,298 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,304 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kangar, Perlis, 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 Kangar, Perlis and $22.00 in Penang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $865 in Kangar, Perlis and $869 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis to $869 in Penang. 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 Kangar, Perlis. 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.