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 $875 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $862 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,342 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,379 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,808 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,895 in Penang, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis costs about 1% more than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.68

$3.10 MYR 12.24

11.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 MYR 75.5

$21.13 MYR 83.5

-9.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.70

$4.12 MYR 16.27

14.81%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$2.88 MYR 11.36

-2.08%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$0.70 MYR 2.75

4.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.33 MYR 1.32

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 13.62

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$4.43 MYR 17.51

10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.18

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.03 MYR 4.05

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.96

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-36.68%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.32

$2.04 MYR 8.07

3.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 59.6

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-12.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$4.95 MYR 19.54

-12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 MYR 37.35

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-36.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.21

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-1.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.82

$1.51 MYR 5.96

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 9.93

$2.63 MYR 10.38

-4.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.66

$2.09 MYR 8.24

-31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.68

$1.18 MYR 4.64

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$1.17 MYR 4.63

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$0.91 MYR 3.59

8.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.18

$0.48 MYR 1.91

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$4.29 MYR 16.94

1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 MYR 71.0

$19.41 MYR 76.7

-7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.16

$2.74 MYR 10.82

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.72

$3.39 MYR 13.39

-12.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.46 MYR 1.80

58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 MYR 45.75

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-33.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.74 MYR 2.94

55.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$0.53 MYR 2.10

86.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.49

$6.95 MYR 27.46

-14.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.46 MYR 1.82

8.70%

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

$35.4K MYR 139.7K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

5.58%

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

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

11.76%

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

$43.03 MYR 170

$39.31 MYR 155

9.46%

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

$9.19 MYR 36.31

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-10.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.86 MYR 114

$31.17 MYR 123

-7.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 147

$33.28 MYR 131

11.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.00

$5.39 MYR 21.30

7.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$4.81 MYR 19.01

1.66%

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

$186 MYR 734

$240 MYR 947

-22.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,019 MYR 27.7K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

13.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$54.4 MYR 215

10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 MYR 109

$29.08 MYR 115

-4.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 290

$60.4 MYR 239

21.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 MYR 200

$52.6 MYR 208

-3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,533

$381 MYR 1,503

1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,079

$227 MYR 895

20.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,542

$639 MYR 2,524

0.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,825

$526 MYR 2,077

-12.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,676 MYR 6,621

$2,317 MYR 9,153

-27.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$950 MYR 3,751

$1,197 MYR 4,729

-20.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$968 MYR 3,824

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Kangar, Perlis 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis versus $21.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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: $875 in Kangar, Perlis, $862 in Penang – roughly 1% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,312 per month in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis. 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, Kangar, Perlis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.