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: $944 in Kedah versus $837 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Kedah versus $1,307 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,853 in Kedah versus $1,776 in Penang.

Living in Kedah is roughly 13% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 31% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.38

$3.72 MYR 15.24

-5.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 MYR 50.6

$19.77 MYR 80.9

-37.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 MYR 20.58

$4.57 MYR 18.72

10.07%

Cappuccino

$2.66 MYR 10.91

$2.98 MYR 12.18

-10.74%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.74

$0.74 MYR 3.01

22.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.37 MYR 1.50

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MYR 9.87

$4.30 MYR 17.60

-43.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 MYR 17.56

$4.53 MYR 18.53

-5.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 MYR 9.95

$1.80 MYR 7.37

35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 MYR 5.57

$1.06 MYR 4.32

28.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.20

$1.72 MYR 7.05

2.33%

Eggs

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$2.14 MYR 8.76

22.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 MYR 64.0

$13.06 MYR 53.5

19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 MYR 20.07

$4.32 MYR 17.68

13.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.14

$8.52 MYR 34.87

12.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$2.93 MYR 11.99

-19.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.66 MYR 6.78

-12.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 MYR 9.32

$2.57 MYR 10.51

-11.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.13

$1.46 MYR 5.99

-14.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.74

$1.11 MYR 4.55

-18.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MYR 3.23

$1.16 MYR 4.76

-31.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.17

$1.14 MYR 4.67

-32.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.66

$0.54 MYR 2.21

20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 MYR 19.08

$4.74 MYR 19.38

-1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.25 MYR 87.0

$18.98 MYR 77.7

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.18

$3.01 MYR 12.34

-17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.85

$3.98 MYR 16.29

-8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$0.50 MYR 2.05

48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 48.18

$12.18 MYR 49.85

-3.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$1.73 MYR 7.09

-29.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.38 MYR 1.56

31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 MYR 27.19

$7.46 MYR 30.55

-10.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 MYR 2.45

$0.87 MYR 3.57

-31.03%

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

$41.8K MYR 171.1K

$41.9K MYR 171.7K

-0.33%

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

$28.8K MYR 117.7K

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

-17.50%

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

$50.7 MYR 207

$36.65 MYR 150

38.20%

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

$7.98 MYR 32.64

$9.91 MYR 40.57

-19.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 MYR 132

$29.71 MYR 122

8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.87 MYR 163

$39.12 MYR 160

1.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.67

$4.82 MYR 19.71

19.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.69

$5.22 MYR 21.37

-7.85%

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

$171 MYR 698

$432 MYR 1,768

-60.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,987 MYR 20.4K

$10.6K MYR 43.4K

-52.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 MYR 223

$59.3 MYR 243

-8.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.20 MYR 144

$35.89 MYR 147

-1.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 MYR 296

$83.0 MYR 340

-12.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 MYR 284

$71.4 MYR 292

-2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MYR 1,701

$409 MYR 1,675

1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MYR 1,311

$228 MYR 934

40.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MYR 2,837

$583 MYR 2,387

18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 MYR 1,847

$414 MYR 1,694

9.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,745 MYR 7,141

$2,244 MYR 9,187

-22.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 MYR 4,117

$1,058 MYR 4,331

-4.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 MYR 5,440

$914 MYR 3,740

45.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

4.24

4.48%

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

Last update for Kedah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Kedah and $409 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 45% 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 $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $250, with Penang 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kedah and Penang differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($944 vs $837 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $416 in Kedah versus $409 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $171 in Kedah versus $432 in Penang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Kedah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $837 in Penang versus $944 in Kedah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Kedah. The gap between the two cities makes Penang 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 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 13% less than in Kedah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.