Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Kedah versus $862 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Kedah versus $1,379 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,797 in Kedah versus $1,895 in Penang.

Living in Kedah is roughly 1% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 35% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.26

$3.10 MYR 12.24

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.93 MYR 82.7

$21.13 MYR 83.5

-0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.26

$4.12 MYR 16.27

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.52

$2.88 MYR 11.36

1.39%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.91

$0.70 MYR 2.75

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.33 MYR 1.32

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-0.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 17.91

$4.43 MYR 17.51

2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.16

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.65

$1.03 MYR 4.05

-10.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.78

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-39.20%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.15

$2.04 MYR 8.07

0.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.78 MYR 58.4

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-14.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 MYR 19.67

$4.95 MYR 19.54

0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 MYR 58.6

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 10.99

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-3.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$1.51 MYR 5.96

-20.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.70

$2.63 MYR 10.38

3.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.51

$2.09 MYR 8.24

2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.64

$1.18 MYR 4.64

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$1.17 MYR 4.63

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.74

$0.91 MYR 3.59

4.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.77

$0.48 MYR 1.91

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.08

$4.29 MYR 16.94

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.89 MYR 78.6

$19.41 MYR 76.7

2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$2.74 MYR 10.82

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 13.96

$3.39 MYR 13.39

4.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.46 MYR 1.80

47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 45.78

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-33.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$0.53 MYR 2.10

-11.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 MYR 27.49

$6.95 MYR 27.46

0.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.46 MYR 1.82

6.52%

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

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

0.72%

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

$27.2K MYR 107.4K

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

-2.61%

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

$37.91 MYR 150

$39.31 MYR 155

-3.56%

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

$10.09 MYR 39.84

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-1.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 MYR 45.97

$31.17 MYR 123

-62.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 MYR 148

$33.28 MYR 131

12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 MYR 23.49

$5.39 MYR 21.30

10.39%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 MYR 10.95

$4.81 MYR 19.01

-42.41%

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

$238 MYR 942

$240 MYR 947

-0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,226 MYR 24.6K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

1.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 MYR 216

$54.4 MYR 215

0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.36 MYR 116

$29.08 MYR 115

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 MYR 241

$60.4 MYR 239

0.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 MYR 208

$52.6 MYR 208

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,558

$381 MYR 1,503

3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,046

$227 MYR 895

16.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,590

$639 MYR 2,524

2.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,858

$526 MYR 2,077

-10.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 MYR 7,692

$2,317 MYR 9,153

-15.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 MYR 3,142

$1,197 MYR 4,729

-33.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,390 MYR 5,491

$968 MYR 3,824

43.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

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

Last update for Kedah: April 27, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Kedah and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 44% 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 $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $286 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kedah and Penang differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $862 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kedah pays 44% more on average, 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: $394 in Kedah versus $381 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Kedah versus $240 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Kedah pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Penang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.