Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Kuala Lumpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $857 in Kedah versus $1,063 in Kuala Lumpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,327 in Kedah versus $1,605 in Kuala Lumpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Kedah versus $2,148 in Kuala Lumpur.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 19% less than in Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 36% lower, Kuala Lumpur 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 MYR 12.82

$4.81 MYR 19.65

-34.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.57 MYR 88.2

$28.49 MYR 116

-24.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$4.81 MYR 19.66

-11.43%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 12.02

$3.07 MYR 12.54

-4.23%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.86 MYR 3.50

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.53 MYR 2.18

-37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.91

$4.21 MYR 17.22

4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MYR 17.67

$6.05 MYR 24.72

-28.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.99 MYR 8.13

-8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$1.04 MYR 4.26

-6.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.67 MYR 6.81

-30.54%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.32

$2.25 MYR 9.19

-9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.76 MYR 60.4

$14.44 MYR 59.0

2.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MYR 20.44

$4.77 MYR 19.50

4.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.52 MYR 59.4

$9.87 MYR 40.33

47.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.31

$2.95 MYR 12.06

-6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.64 MYR 6.72

-26.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.98

$2.72 MYR 11.10

-1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$1.52 MYR 6.20

38.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$1.22 MYR 5.01

-2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.94

$1.40 MYR 5.72

-13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.96

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-20.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.64 MYR 2.62

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.96

$4.31 MYR 17.63

-3.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.04 MYR 77.8

$18.45 MYR 75.4

3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.85

$3.28 MYR 13.42

-19.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.46

$4.30 MYR 17.59

-17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$0.74 MYR 3.03

-5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.59

$11.90 MYR 48.66

-2.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 3.00

$1.21 MYR 4.96

-39.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-54.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 MYR 28.96

$4.83 MYR 19.75

46.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.50 MYR 2.05

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

$33.6K MYR 137.5K

$40.6K MYR 165.9K

-17.15%

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

$27.8K MYR 113.6K

$32.4K MYR 132.6K

-14.29%

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

$38.56 MYR 158

$63.7 MYR 260

-39.45%

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

$9.94 MYR 40.63

$11.37 MYR 46.48

-12.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.76 MYR 48.07

$26.08 MYR 107

-54.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 MYR 153

$46.62 MYR 191

-19.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 MYR 24.68

$8.00 MYR 32.71

-24.50%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.49

$5.27 MYR 21.54

-46.68%

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

$236 MYR 964

$266 MYR 1,089

-11.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,189 MYR 25.3K

$9,540 MYR 39.0K

-35.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 MYR 221

$60.9 MYR 249

-11.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.68 MYR 117

$36.65 MYR 150

-21.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$85.2 MYR 348

-26.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 MYR 220

$80.9 MYR 331

-33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,561

$566 MYR 2,312

-32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,118

$364 MYR 1,486

-24.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,657

$1,090 MYR 4,455

-40.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,946

$647 MYR 2,643

-26.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,045 MYR 8,362

$4,056 MYR 16.6K

-49.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,134 MYR 4,635

$1,416 MYR 5,787

-19.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,301 MYR 5,319

$1,570 MYR 6,417

-17.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.47

-6.94%

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

Last update for Kedah: July 21, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Kedah and $566 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Kedah vs $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $267, with Kuala Lumpur cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kedah vs Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kedah and Kuala Lumpur differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($857 vs $1,063 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Kuala Lumpur. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $382 in Kedah versus $566 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $236 in Kedah versus $266 in Kuala Lumpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Kuala Lumpur pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $857 in Kedah versus $1,063 in Kuala Lumpur, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Kuala Lumpur. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kedah and Kuala Lumpur are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kedah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.