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: $868 in Kedah versus $1,048 in Kuala Lumpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Kedah versus $1,583 in Kuala Lumpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Kedah versus $2,117 in Kuala Lumpur.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 17% less than in Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 35% lower, Kuala Lumpur 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 12.25

$4.64 MYR 18.83

-34.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 MYR 86.9

$28.84 MYR 117

-25.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 17.36

$4.73 MYR 19.21

-9.51%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 11.96

$3.08 MYR 12.48

-4.22%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.91 MYR 3.70

-18.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$0.53 MYR 2.16

-30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.84

$4.18 MYR 16.96

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MYR 18.19

$5.87 MYR 23.81

-23.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.34

$1.99 MYR 8.09

-9.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 MYR 3.67

$1.05 MYR 4.25

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.74 MYR 7.06

-30.46%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.58

$2.16 MYR 8.76

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.2

$14.64 MYR 59.4

4.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MYR 20.27

$4.52 MYR 18.33

10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MYR 59.5

$9.83 MYR 39.88

49.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.70

$2.86 MYR 11.59

0.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.64 MYR 6.67

-27.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.60

$2.74 MYR 11.11

-4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.82

$1.52 MYR 6.18

42.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.28 MYR 5.20

-7.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$1.38 MYR 5.61

-15.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.92

$1.16 MYR 4.71

-16.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.64 MYR 2.59

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.76

$4.13 MYR 16.75

Wine (Bottle)

$19.59 MYR 79.5

$19.03 MYR 77.2

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.70

$3.36 MYR 13.63

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.67

$4.28 MYR 17.35

-21.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.72 MYR 2.94

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.74

$11.80 MYR 47.88

-0.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$1.16 MYR 4.72

-40.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$1.10 MYR 4.46

-57.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 28.34

$4.70 MYR 19.06

48.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.51 MYR 2.08

-3.92%

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

$33.5K MYR 135.9K

$40.4K MYR 163.9K

-17.12%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.0K

$32.8K MYR 133.1K

-16.58%

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

$38.49 MYR 156

$63.6 MYR 258

-39.43%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.52

$11.50 MYR 46.65

-13.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.96 MYR 48.55

$25.57 MYR 104

-53.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MYR 148

$45.64 MYR 185

-20.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 MYR 23.76

$7.61 MYR 30.89

-23.13%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.41

$5.04 MYR 20.44

-44.25%

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

$238 MYR 964

$263 MYR 1,067

-9.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

$9,446 MYR 38.3K

-34.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 225

$61.3 MYR 249

-9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 MYR 115

$37.36 MYR 152

-24.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 MYR 252

$84.8 MYR 344

-26.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 213

$80.2 MYR 326

-34.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,541

$579 MYR 2,349

-34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,094

$366 MYR 1,486

-26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,622

$1,070 MYR 4,340

-39.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,886

$636 MYR 2,580

-26.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,964 MYR 7,968

$4,242 MYR 17.2K

-53.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MYR 3,882

$1,498 MYR 6,078

-36.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,322 MYR 5,363

$1,727 MYR 7,009

-23.48%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Kedah and $579 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 31% 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: $21.00 in Kedah vs $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 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 21% in total monthly costs ($868 vs $1,048 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kuala Lumpur earns 31% less. 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: $380 in Kedah versus $579 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Kedah versus $263 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 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $868 in Kedah versus $1,048 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 21% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.