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 $865 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $909 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,324 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,337 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,765 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis is about 5% cheaper than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Petaling Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 36% lower, Petaling Jaya 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.62

$3.63 MYR 14.70

-0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 MYR 77.1

$18.88 MYR 76.6

0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.63

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-2.13%

Cappuccino

$2.90 MYR 11.74

$2.71 MYR 10.99

7.01%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.91

$0.68 MYR 2.74

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.49

$3.51 MYR 14.24

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.61

$4.96 MYR 20.10

2.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.67

$1.92 MYR 7.78

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.08

$0.95 MYR 3.85

6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-26.44%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.40

$2.16 MYR 8.75

-4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 MYR 61.6

$10.81 MYR 43.82

40.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 MYR 17.35

$3.56 MYR 14.45

20.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 MYR 37.25

$7.94 MYR 32.21

15.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.66

$2.76 MYR 11.18

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.21

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.25

$2.47 MYR 10.04

2.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.81

$1.21 MYR 4.89

18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.81

$1.15 MYR 4.65

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$1.38 MYR 5.58

-7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$0.94 MYR 3.83

6.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.48

$4.13 MYR 16.74

4.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.52 MYR 79.2

$19.45 MYR 78.9

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.49

$2.74 MYR 11.09

3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.12

$3.77 MYR 15.30

-20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-9.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.73 MYR 47.57

$11.97 MYR 48.52

-2.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.67

$0.99 MYR 4.00

16.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$0.32 MYR 1.32

218.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.48

$9.35 MYR 37.92

-35.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.47 MYR 1.90

4.26%

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

$34.9K MYR 141.7K

$31.3K MYR 126.9K

11.69%

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

$30.9K MYR 125.2K

$28.2K MYR 114.2K

9.66%

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

$44.11 MYR 179

$40.93 MYR 166

7.77%

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

$9.05 MYR 36.71

$8.87 MYR 35.97

2.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MYR 119

$23.16 MYR 93.9

26.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.25 MYR 147

$36.87 MYR 149

-1.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.17

$7.22 MYR 29.28

-17.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.84

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-2.40%

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

$186 MYR 754

$209 MYR 849

-11.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,789 MYR 27.5K

$8,132 MYR 33.0K

-16.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 250

$48.47 MYR 197

27.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 MYR 110

$33.99 MYR 138

-20.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 MYR 296

$53.9 MYR 219

35.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.96 MYR 203

$48.57 MYR 197

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,552

$471 MYR 1,911

-18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 MYR 1,113

$347 MYR 1,407

-20.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 MYR 2,664

$817 MYR 3,311

-19.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,916

$543 MYR 2,200

-12.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,212 MYR 8,968

$3,158 MYR 12.8K

-29.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$919 MYR 3,728

$210 MYR 851

337.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 MYR 7,066

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 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 – $254 in Kangar, Perlis vs $236 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: $865 in Kangar, Perlis, $909 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 5% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,298 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,364 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis and $909 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis and $909 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis to $909 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.