Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Matagalpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Matagalpa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $857 in Kedah versus $859 in Matagalpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,327 in Kedah versus $1,290 in Matagalpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Kedah versus $1,722 in Matagalpa.

Monthly costs are close between Kedah and Matagalpa; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 36% lower, Matagalpa 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 MYR 12.82

$4.78 NIO 175

-34.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.57 MYR 88.2

$25.32 NIO 927

-14.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$6.96 NIO 255

-38.79%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 12.02

$2.34 NIO 85.9

25.64%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.80 NIO 29.38

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.47 NIO 17.11

-29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.91

$1.21 NIO 44.37

261.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MYR 17.67

$1.98 NIO 72.3

118.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$1.15 NIO 42.06

59.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$1.49 NIO 54.4

-34.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$1.59 NIO 58.2

-27.04%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.32

$2.15 NIO 78.7

-5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.76 MYR 60.4

$1.97 NIO 72.2

649.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MYR 20.44

$4.26 NIO 156

17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.52 MYR 59.4

$6.69 NIO 245

117.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.31

$3.88 NIO 142

-28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.83 NIO 30.38

45.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.98

$1.81 NIO 66.4

48.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$2.18 NIO 79.8

-3.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$1.13 NIO 41.42

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.94

$2.17 NIO 79.4

-44.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.96

$0.67 NIO 24.45

44.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$1.02 NIO 37.32

-55.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.96

$2.71 NIO 99.3

53.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.04 MYR 77.8

$10.12 NIO 371

88.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.85

$1.24 NIO 45.47

113.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.46

$2.26 NIO 82.7

56.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$0.49 NIO 17.77

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 MYR 47.59

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 3.00

$0.86 NIO 31.42

-15.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.00 NIO 36.53

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 MYR 28.96

$6.88 NIO 252

2.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.31 NIO 47.95

-61.83%

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

$33.6K MYR 137.5K

$22.9K NIO 837.8K

47.01%

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

$27.8K MYR 113.6K

$26.7K NIO 978.8K

4.01%

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

$38.56 MYR 158

$53.4 NIO 1,956

-27.80%

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

$9.94 MYR 40.63

$17.19 NIO 630

-42.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.76 MYR 48.07

$35.37 NIO 1,295

-66.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 MYR 153

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 MYR 24.68

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.49

$8.02 NIO 294

-64.96%

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

$236 MYR 964

$100 NIO 3,668

135.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,189 MYR 25.3K

$6,027 NIO 220.7K

2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 MYR 221

$78.7 NIO 2,881

-31.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.68 MYR 117

$72.1 NIO 2,641

-60.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$133 NIO 4,875

-53.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 MYR 220

$106 NIO 3,892

-49.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,561

$158 NIO 5,781

141.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,118

$262 NIO 9,606

4.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,657

$548 NIO 20.1K

18.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,946

$378 NIO 13.9K

25.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,045 MYR 8,362

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,134 MYR 4,635

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,301 MYR 5,319

$99.9 NIO 3,657

1202.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

10.25

-59.41%

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

Last update for Kedah: July 21, 2026

Last update for Matagalpa: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Kedah and $158 in Matagalpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 1203% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $22.00 in Kedah vs $25.00 in Matagalpa. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $185, with Matagalpa 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 Matagalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 1203% higher in Kedah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $382 in Kedah versus $158 in Matagalpa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $236 in Kedah versus $100 in Matagalpa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Matagalpa pay roughly 46% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $857 in Kedah versus $859 in Matagalpa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Matagalpa. 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 Matagalpa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Kedah wins on affordability, Matagalpa on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.