Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $875 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $910 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,342 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,354 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,808 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,798 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis is about 4% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 35% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.68

$3.44 MYR 13.59

0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 MYR 75.5

$18.50 MYR 73.1

3.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.70

$4.61 MYR 18.21

2.60%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$2.78 MYR 10.97

1.44%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$0.67 MYR 2.65

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 13.62

$3.57 MYR 14.08

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$5.17 MYR 20.44

-5.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.18

$1.91 MYR 7.56

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$0.97 MYR 3.82

2.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.96

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-29.61%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.32

$2.24 MYR 8.85

-5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 59.6

$10.69 MYR 42.24

41.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$3.56 MYR 14.04

21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 MYR 37.35

$8.22 MYR 32.46

15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.21

$2.69 MYR 10.61

5.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.82

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-15.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 9.93

$2.48 MYR 9.81

1.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.66

$1.27 MYR 5.00

12.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.68

$1.19 MYR 4.69

-0.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-3.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$0.90 MYR 3.54

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.18

$0.63 MYR 2.48

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$4.29 MYR 16.95

1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 MYR 71.0

$20.15 MYR 79.6

-10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.16

$2.77 MYR 10.94

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.72

$3.92 MYR 15.50

-24.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.75 MYR 2.97

-2.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 MYR 45.75

$11.70 MYR 46.22

-1.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.98 MYR 3.88

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$0.35 MYR 1.38

182.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.49

$9.03 MYR 35.68

-34.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.50 MYR 1.98

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

$35.4K MYR 139.7K

$31.8K MYR 125.7K

11.12%

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

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

$28.1K MYR 110.8K

11.27%

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

$43.03 MYR 170

$40.25 MYR 159

6.91%

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

$9.19 MYR 36.31

$9.09 MYR 35.92

1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.86 MYR 114

$22.94 MYR 90.6

25.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 147

$37.39 MYR 148

-0.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.00

$7.48 MYR 29.55

-22.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$4.99 MYR 19.72

-2.00%

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

$186 MYR 734

$214 MYR 846

-13.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,019 MYR 27.7K

$8,042 MYR 31.8K

-12.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$48.73 MYR 192

23.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 MYR 109

$33.82 MYR 134

-18.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 290

$55.0 MYR 217

33.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 MYR 200

$49.39 MYR 195

2.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,533

$471 MYR 1,860

-17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,079

$347 MYR 1,371

-21.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,542

$820 MYR 3,240

-21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,825

$555 MYR 2,190

-16.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,676 MYR 6,621

$3,321 MYR 13.1K

-49.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$950 MYR 3,751

$211 MYR 833

350.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,757 MYR 6,938

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

4.49

-9.35%

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

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: April 26, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Kangar, Perlis versus $471 in Petaling Jaya. 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 $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Kangar, Perlis vs $239 in Petaling Jaya – so Petaling Jaya 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 Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $875 in Kangar, Perlis, $910 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 4% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,312 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,365 in Petaling Jaya. 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 $19.00 in Petaling Jaya. 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 $910 in Petaling Jaya. 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis and $910 in Petaling Jaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Petaling Jaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $875 in Kangar, Perlis to $910 in Petaling Jaya. 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, Petaling Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.