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: $845 in Kedah versus $1,057 in Kuala Lumpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,324 in Kedah versus $1,623 in Kuala Lumpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,803 in Kedah versus $2,190 in Kuala Lumpur.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 20% less than in Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 37% lower, Kuala Lumpur 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 MYR 11.73

$4.66 MYR 18.39

-36.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.99 MYR 82.9

$28.64 MYR 113

-26.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 MYR 16.81

$4.79 MYR 18.92

-11.27%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.37

$3.11 MYR 12.27

-7.40%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.90 MYR 3.55

-23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.49 MYR 1.94

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 MYR 16.91

$4.25 MYR 16.80

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.34

$5.82 MYR 23.00

-24.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$2.04 MYR 8.07

-9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 MYR 3.56

$1.00 MYR 3.95

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$1.71 MYR 6.76

-32.16%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.42

$2.25 MYR 8.89

-5.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.0

$14.85 MYR 58.7

0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 MYR 20.37

$4.58 MYR 18.10

12.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 58.2

$9.56 MYR 37.78

54.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.34

$3.00 MYR 11.86

-4.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.77

$1.56 MYR 6.15

-22.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.59

$2.71 MYR 10.69

-1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$1.50 MYR 5.94

39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.65

$1.21 MYR 4.79

-2.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.80

$1.41 MYR 5.55

-13.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.75

$1.18 MYR 4.65

-19.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.68 MYR 2.68

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.57

$4.11 MYR 16.25

1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 MYR 77.0

$18.73 MYR 74.0

4.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.47

$3.35 MYR 13.25

-20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 13.89

$4.39 MYR 17.34

-19.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.69 MYR 2.73

4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.89 MYR 46.98

$11.60 MYR 45.83

2.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$1.19 MYR 4.70

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$1.15 MYR 4.52

-59.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.47

$4.76 MYR 18.79

46.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.50 MYR 1.99

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

$33.2K MYR 131.3K

$39.4K MYR 155.8K

-15.70%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$32.0K MYR 126.5K

-12.80%

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

$38.58 MYR 152

$64.5 MYR 255

-40.16%

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

$10.25 MYR 40.50

$11.67 MYR 46.09

-12.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 MYR 46.35

$25.55 MYR 101

-54.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 MYR 146

$45.58 MYR 180

-18.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.85

$7.57 MYR 29.90

-23.51%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 MYR 11.33

$5.13 MYR 20.27

-44.05%

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

$243 MYR 958

$266 MYR 1,051

-8.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,217 MYR 24.6K

$9,264 MYR 36.6K

-32.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MYR 213

$60.5 MYR 239

-10.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$37.04 MYR 146

-21.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 MYR 241

$85.2 MYR 336

-28.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 MYR 209

$79.1 MYR 313

-33.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,528

$570 MYR 2,252

-32.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,061

$365 MYR 1,440

-26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,519

$1,079 MYR 4,262

-40.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,857

$647 MYR 2,554

-27.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,647 MYR 6,507

$4,015 MYR 15.9K

-58.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MYR 3,983

$1,535 MYR 6,063

-34.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,358 MYR 5,364

$1,557 MYR 6,151

-12.80%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Kedah and $570 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Lumpur pays 15% 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 in Kedah vs $29 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 25% in total monthly costs ($845 vs $1,057 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kuala Lumpur earns 15% 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: $387 in Kedah versus $570 in Kuala Lumpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 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 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $845 in Kedah versus $1,057 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 25% less than in Kuala Lumpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.