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 $954 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $837 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,396 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,307 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,776 in Penang, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis costs about 14% more than Penang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 30% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.48

$3.72 MYR 15.20

1.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.49 MYR 83.6

$19.77 MYR 80.7

3.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.80

$4.57 MYR 18.67

6.13%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MYR 10.95

$2.98 MYR 12.15

-10.07%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$0.74 MYR 3.01

-4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.37 MYR 1.49

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$4.30 MYR 17.55

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MYR 19.44

$4.53 MYR 18.49

5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.53

$1.80 MYR 7.35

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.50

$1.06 MYR 4.31

3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MYR 6.35

$1.72 MYR 7.03

-9.88%

Eggs

$1.99 MYR 8.13

$2.14 MYR 8.74

-7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 MYR 50.1

$13.06 MYR 53.3

-5.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 MYR 17.90

$4.32 MYR 17.64

1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 MYR 39.90

$8.52 MYR 34.79

14.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 MYR 13.45

$2.93 MYR 11.96

12.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 7.00

$1.66 MYR 6.76

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 MYR 10.88

$2.57 MYR 10.48

3.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.50

$1.46 MYR 5.97

26.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$1.11 MYR 4.54

-0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.03

$1.16 MYR 4.75

6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 MYR 4.12

$1.14 MYR 4.66

-11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.54 MYR 2.21

-9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 MYR 19.78

$4.74 MYR 19.33

2.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.05 MYR 81.8

$18.98 MYR 77.5

5.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.18

$3.01 MYR 12.31

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 MYR 16.43

$3.98 MYR 16.25

1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$0.50 MYR 2.04

48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.21 MYR 45.76

$12.18 MYR 49.73

-7.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 MYR 4.30

$1.73 MYR 7.07

-39.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.38 MYR 1.55

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 MYR 32.10

$7.46 MYR 30.47

5.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$0.87 MYR 3.56

-3.45%

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

$47.0K MYR 192.0K

$41.9K MYR 171.3K

12.11%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.4K

$34.9K MYR 142.3K

-2.05%

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

$44.65 MYR 182

$36.65 MYR 150

21.83%

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

$9.56 MYR 39.02

$9.91 MYR 40.47

-3.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.71 MYR 105

$29.71 MYR 121

-13.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.17 MYR 188

$39.12 MYR 160

18.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 MYR 30.39

$4.82 MYR 19.66

54.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.18 MYR 21.14

$5.22 MYR 21.31

-0.77%

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

$192 MYR 785

$432 MYR 1,763

-55.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,435 MYR 22.2K

$10.6K MYR 43.3K

-48.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 MYR 265

$59.3 MYR 242

9.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 MYR 123

$35.89 MYR 147

-16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 MYR 362

$83.0 MYR 339

6.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 MYR 266

$71.4 MYR 292

-8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 MYR 1,720

$409 MYR 1,670

2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 MYR 1,348

$228 MYR 932

44.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 MYR 2,383

$583 MYR 2,381

0.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,018

$414 MYR 1,690

19.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 MYR 7,281

$2,244 MYR 9,163

-20.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 MYR 4,357

$1,058 MYR 4,320

0.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MYR 3,730

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.24

-0.94%

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

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: September 14, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Kangar, Perlis versus $409 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 $20.00 in Kangar, Perlis versus $20.00 in Penang. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Kangar, Perlis vs $250 in Penang – so Penang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $954 in Kangar, Perlis, $837 in Penang – roughly 14% apart. Kangar, Perlis costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,431 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,256 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 $20.00 in Kangar, Perlis 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 $954 in Kangar, Perlis and $837 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 $954 in Kangar, Perlis and $837 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 $837 in Penang to $954 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.