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 $859 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $867 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,368 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,870 in Penang, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis is about 1% cheaper than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.36

$3.08 MYR 12.56

14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.01 MYR 77.6

$21.63 MYR 88.3

-12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.72

$4.15 MYR 16.95

16.39%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.30

$2.97 MYR 12.12

-6.73%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.33 MYR 1.37

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 14.06

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-19.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.75

$4.45 MYR 18.18

8.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.29

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-4.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-8.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.26

$2.06 MYR 8.40

-37.38%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.68

$2.12 MYR 8.66

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 MYR 61.8

$17.00 MYR 69.4

-10.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$5.19 MYR 21.18

-17.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.43

$14.91 MYR 60.9

-36.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.81

$2.91 MYR 11.88

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$1.45 MYR 5.92

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.67

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-30.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.13 MYR 4.62

4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$1.20 MYR 4.91

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$0.89 MYR 3.62

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.27

$0.48 MYR 1.96

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.69

$4.19 MYR 17.11

3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 MYR 67.9

$19.28 MYR 78.7

-13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.51

$2.65 MYR 10.83

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$3.40 MYR 13.88

-11.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.45 MYR 1.83

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.69 MYR 47.73

$17.76 MYR 72.5

-34.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.73

$0.74 MYR 3.03

56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.51 MYR 2.06

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.67

$6.90 MYR 28.18

-15.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.50 MYR 2.03

-8.00%

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

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

4.34%

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

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

16.42%

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

$42.93 MYR 175

$39.05 MYR 159

9.94%

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

$9.33 MYR 38.10

$10.17 MYR 41.54

-8.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 MYR 118

$31.51 MYR 129

-8.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MYR 150

$32.40 MYR 132

13.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.49

$5.53 MYR 22.59

8.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.86

$4.81 MYR 19.62

1.04%

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

$187 MYR 763

$240 MYR 978

-21.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

10.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 251

$55.3 MYR 226

11.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 112

$29.23 MYR 119

-6.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 294

$61.1 MYR 249

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 MYR 210

$52.7 MYR 215

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,609

$382 MYR 1,558

3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,096

$225 MYR 920

19.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,639

$636 MYR 2,596

1.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,914

$522 MYR 2,131

-10.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 MYR 9,522

$2,203 MYR 8,996

5.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 MYR 5,191

$1,160 MYR 4,735

9.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,845

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Kangar, Perlis 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis versus $22.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $286 – 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

Monthly costs with rent: $859 in Kangar, Perlis, $867 in Penang – roughly 1% apart. Penang costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Kangar, Perlis 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 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $859 in Kangar, Perlis and $867 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $859 in Kangar, Perlis and $867 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis to $867 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.