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: $955 in Kedah versus $808 in Matagalpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Kedah versus $1,238 in Matagalpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,862 in Kedah versus $1,667 in Matagalpa.

Living in Kedah is roughly 18% more expensive than in Matagalpa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 31% lower, Matagalpa 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.98

$6.81 NIO 249

-49.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.37 MYR 50.3

$25.20 NIO 923

-50.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$7.44 NIO 272

-33.87%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.37

$2.57 NIO 94.1

8.56%

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

$0.97 MYR 3.94

$0.86 NIO 31.49

12.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.44 NIO 16.06

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$1.17 NIO 42.73

111.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.67

$1.94 NIO 71.1

123.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 MYR 9.97

$1.22 NIO 44.61

100.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.28 NIO 46.90

2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.92

$1.71 NIO 62.6

-0.58%

Eggs

$2.59 MYR 10.53

$2.34 NIO 85.6

10.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 MYR 62.9

$2.69 NIO 98.4

474.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 MYR 20.98

$4.28 NIO 157

20.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 MYR 39.94

$6.77 NIO 248

45.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 MYR 9.68

$3.69 NIO 135

-35.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$0.62 NIO 22.75

146.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MYR 9.12

$1.76 NIO 64.6

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$2.18 NIO 80.0

-44.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MYR 3.84

$3.90 NIO 143

-75.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MYR 3.28

$2.16 NIO 79.0

-62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$1.00 NIO 36.51

-23.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$1.06 NIO 38.84

-34.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 MYR 18.22

$2.68 NIO 98.2

67.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 MYR 87.8

$9.91 NIO 363

117.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.14

$1.24 NIO 45.54

100.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.68

$2.32 NIO 84.9

55.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.20 NIO 7.42

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.09 NIO 39.91

15.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$1.24 NIO 45.39

-58.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MYR 27.41

$6.79 NIO 249

-0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 MYR 2.61

$1.37 NIO 50.2

-53.28%

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

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

$23.4K NIO 857.8K

81.18%

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

$28.1K MYR 114.5K

$26.7K NIO 977.0K

5.48%

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

$50.1 MYR 204

$59.4 NIO 2,175

-15.58%

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

$8.22 MYR 33.46

$16.80 NIO 615

-51.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.52 MYR 128

$36.42 NIO 1,334

-13.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.66 MYR 169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.61 MYR 26.88

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.99

$8.58 NIO 314

-45.57%

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

$175 MYR 711

$238 NIO 8,730

-26.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$6,017 NIO 220.4K

-18.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 MYR 224

$72.1 NIO 2,640

-23.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 MYR 144

$74.5 NIO 2,728

-52.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MYR 303

$130 NIO 4,762

-42.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 287

$108 NIO 3,970

-35.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$202 NIO 7,386

109.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 MYR 1,355

$175 NIO 6,396

90.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 MYR 2,835

$298 NIO 10.9K

134.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 MYR 2,002

$246 NIO 9,022

99.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MYR 8,347

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 MYR 4,601

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,313 MYR 5,343

$198 NIO 7,242

564.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

10.25

-56.78%

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

Last update for Kedah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Matagalpa: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Kedah and $202 in Matagalpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 564% 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 $25.00 in Matagalpa. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $195, 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

Kedah and Matagalpa differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $808 including rent). Matagalpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 564% 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: $423 in Kedah versus $202 in Matagalpa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Kedah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $955 per month in Kedah versus $808 in Matagalpa – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $808 in Matagalpa versus $955 in Kedah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Matagalpa but tight or insufficient in Kedah. The gap between the two cities makes Matagalpa 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.

Expats usually find Matagalpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.