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 $859 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $912 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,335 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,758 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis is about 6% 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

$3.52 MYR 14.36

$3.50 MYR 14.28

0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.01 MYR 77.6

$19.15 MYR 78.2

-0.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.72

$4.78 MYR 19.52

1.05%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.30

$2.78 MYR 11.34

-0.36%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.72 MYR 2.96

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.39 MYR 1.60

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 14.06

$3.61 MYR 14.75

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.75

$4.93 MYR 20.13

-1.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.29

$1.92 MYR 7.82

-6.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$0.93 MYR 3.81

1.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.26

$1.79 MYR 7.31

-27.93%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.68

$2.20 MYR 8.97

-3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 MYR 61.8

$10.52 MYR 42.97

43.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$3.41 MYR 13.91

25.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.43

$8.28 MYR 33.81

13.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.81

$2.65 MYR 10.83

9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-13.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.67

$2.53 MYR 10.32

3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.20 MYR 4.90

20.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.18 MYR 4.80

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$0.96 MYR 3.93

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.27

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.69

$4.20 MYR 17.17

3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 MYR 67.9

$19.92 MYR 81.3

-16.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.51

$2.78 MYR 11.35

1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$3.97 MYR 16.20

-24.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-7.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.69 MYR 47.73

$11.59 MYR 47.33

0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.73

$1.02 MYR 4.16

13.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.33 MYR 1.34

209.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.67

$9.42 MYR 38.45

-38.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.46 MYR 1.87

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

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

14.57%

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

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

$28.3K MYR 115.4K

12.69%

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

$42.93 MYR 175

$40.45 MYR 165

6.13%

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

$9.33 MYR 38.10

$9.18 MYR 37.49

1.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 MYR 118

$22.64 MYR 92.4

27.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MYR 150

$37.27 MYR 152

-1.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.49

$7.35 MYR 29.99

-18.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.86

$4.88 MYR 19.94

-0.41%

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

$187 MYR 763

$208 MYR 850

-10.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

-15.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 251

$48.20 MYR 197

27.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 112

$34.63 MYR 141

-20.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 294

$54.0 MYR 221

33.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 MYR 210

$49.14 MYR 201

4.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,609

$460 MYR 1,880

-14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,096

$340 MYR 1,389

-21.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,639

$826 MYR 3,374

-21.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,914

$538 MYR 2,196

-12.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 MYR 9,522

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

-25.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 MYR 5,191

$204 MYR 834

522.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,202

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Kangar, Perlis versus $460 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 – $247 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: $859 in Kangar, Perlis, $912 in Petaling Jaya – roughly 6% apart. Petaling Jaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,367 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis and $912 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis and $912 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis to $912 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.