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: $955 in Kedah versus $1,120 in Kuala Lumpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Kedah versus $1,685 in Kuala Lumpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,862 in Kedah versus $2,251 in Kuala Lumpur.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 15% less than in Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 31% lower, Kuala Lumpur 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.98

$5.07 MYR 20.62

-32.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.37 MYR 50.3

$29.14 MYR 119

-57.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$4.81 MYR 19.56

2.29%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.37

$3.17 MYR 12.89

-11.99%

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

$0.97 MYR 3.94

$0.82 MYR 3.32

18.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.46 MYR 1.89

-28.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$4.43 MYR 18.02

-44.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.67

$6.00 MYR 24.40

-27.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 MYR 9.97

$2.12 MYR 8.61

15.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.11 MYR 4.52

18.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.92

$2.10 MYR 8.55

-19.05%

Eggs

$2.59 MYR 10.53

$2.49 MYR 10.12

4.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 MYR 62.9

$15.53 MYR 63.2

-0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 MYR 20.98

$4.93 MYR 20.07

4.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 MYR 39.94

$9.63 MYR 39.17

1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 MYR 9.68

$3.38 MYR 13.76

-29.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$1.87 MYR 7.61

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MYR 9.12

$2.39 MYR 9.71

-6.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.63 MYR 6.63

-25.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MYR 3.84

$1.36 MYR 5.55

-30.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MYR 3.28

$1.45 MYR 5.91

-44.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$1.15 MYR 4.68

-33.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 MYR 18.22

$4.41 MYR 17.96

1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 MYR 87.8

$18.84 MYR 76.7

14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.14

$3.54 MYR 14.42

-29.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.68

$5.03 MYR 20.45

-28.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.77 MYR 3.11

-6.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.48

$12.27 MYR 49.93

-0.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.21 MYR 4.91

4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$1.23 MYR 4.99

-58.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MYR 27.41

$4.93 MYR 20.04

36.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 MYR 2.61

$0.76 MYR 3.11

-15.79%

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

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

$42.8K MYR 174.0K

-0.79%

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

$28.1K MYR 114.5K

$35.4K MYR 144.0K

-20.49%

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

$50.1 MYR 204

$63.5 MYR 258

-21.01%

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

$8.22 MYR 33.46

$9.41 MYR 38.29

-12.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.52 MYR 128

$26.74 MYR 109

17.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.66 MYR 169

$50.4 MYR 205

-17.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.61 MYR 26.88

$7.64 MYR 31.07

-13.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.99

$5.54 MYR 22.55

-15.70%

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

$175 MYR 711

$302 MYR 1,230

-42.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$12.7K MYR 51.6K

-61.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 MYR 224

$73.6 MYR 299

-25.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 MYR 144

$42.08 MYR 171

-15.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MYR 303

$88.7 MYR 361

-16.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 287

$97.0 MYR 395

-27.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$607 MYR 2,470

-30.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 MYR 1,355

$367 MYR 1,492

-9.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 MYR 2,835

$1,213 MYR 4,933

-42.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 MYR 2,002

$642 MYR 2,612

-23.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MYR 8,347

$4,079 MYR 16.6K

-49.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 MYR 4,601

$1,535 MYR 6,246

-26.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,313 MYR 5,343

$1,493 MYR 6,075

-12.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

4.2

5.48%

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

Last update for Kedah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Kedah and $607 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 14% 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: $12.00 in Kedah vs $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $283 per month, with Kedah cheaper across the board.

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 17% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $1,120 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% 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: $423 in Kedah versus $607 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $175 in Kedah versus $302 in Kuala Lumpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Kuala Lumpur. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $955 in Kedah versus $1,120 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 17% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.