Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kangar, Perlis Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Kangar, Perlis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $954 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,676 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,396 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,237 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,838 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 17% more than Kangar, Perlis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 19% lower, Kangar, Perlis 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 MYR 20.50

$3.79 MYR 15.52

32.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.09 MYR 123

$20.49 MYR 83.9

46.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 MYR 19.92

$4.85 MYR 19.85

0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.16 MYR 12.92

$2.68 MYR 10.97

17.91%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$0.71 MYR 2.90

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.40 MYR 1.62

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 MYR 17.89

$4.15 MYR 16.99

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 MYR 24.91

$4.76 MYR 19.49

27.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 MYR 8.57

$1.84 MYR 7.55

13.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.55

$1.10 MYR 4.51

0.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 MYR 8.35

$1.55 MYR 6.36

31.61%

Eggs

$2.44 MYR 9.98

$1.99 MYR 8.15

22.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 MYR 64.5

$12.28 MYR 50.3

28.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 MYR 19.73

$4.39 MYR 17.95

9.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 MYR 39.28

$9.77 MYR 40.00

-1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 MYR 14.33

$3.30 MYR 13.49

6.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$1.71 MYR 7.01

12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 MYR 9.50

$2.67 MYR 10.91

-13.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.50

$1.84 MYR 7.52

-13.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.10 MYR 4.50

20.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.67

$1.23 MYR 5.05

12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MYR 4.89

$1.01 MYR 4.13

17.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$0.49 MYR 2.02

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.80

$4.85 MYR 19.83

-10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.7

$20.05 MYR 82.1

-5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 14.37

$2.98 MYR 12.21

17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 MYR 20.10

$4.03 MYR 16.48

21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.74 MYR 3.01

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.44 MYR 50.9

$11.21 MYR 45.88

10.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.89

$1.05 MYR 4.31

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 MYR 5.12

$0.48 MYR 1.95

160.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 MYR 19.74

$7.86 MYR 32.18

-38.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 MYR 3.29

$0.84 MYR 3.45

-4.76%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.5K

$47.0K MYR 192.5K

-11.44%

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

$35.3K MYR 144.5K

$34.1K MYR 139.7K

3.44%

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

$63.2 MYR 258

$44.65 MYR 183

41.43%

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

$9.29 MYR 38.04

$9.56 MYR 39.12

-2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.02 MYR 106

$25.71 MYR 105

1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.52 MYR 203

$46.17 MYR 189

7.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.64 MYR 31.29

$7.45 MYR 30.47

2.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 MYR 22.46

$5.18 MYR 21.20

5.98%

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

$299 MYR 1,226

$192 MYR 787

55.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K MYR 52.7K

$5,435 MYR 22.2K

136.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 MYR 290

$65.0 MYR 266

9.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.95 MYR 172

$30.04 MYR 123

39.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 MYR 361

$88.6 MYR 363

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 MYR 409

$65.2 MYR 267

53.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 MYR 2,502

$421 MYR 1,724

45.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,527

$330 MYR 1,351

13.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 MYR 4,994

$584 MYR 2,389

109.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MYR 2,543

$494 MYR 2,024

25.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,055 MYR 16.6K

$1,783 MYR 7,299

127.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,503 MYR 6,150

$1,067 MYR 4,368

40.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,521 MYR 6,226

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $611 in Kuala Lumpur versus $421 in Kangar, Perlis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $20.00 in Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $257 – making Kangar, Perlis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kuala Lumpur vs Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,115 in Kuala Lumpur, $954 in Kangar, Perlis – roughly 17% apart. Kuala Lumpur costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,672 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,431 in Kangar, Perlis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kangar, Perlis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Kuala Lumpur and $20.00 in Kangar, Perlis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,115 in Kuala Lumpur and $954 in Kangar, Perlis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kangar, Perlis, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,115. In Kangar, Perlis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kuala Lumpur has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $954 in Kangar, Perlis to $1,115 in Kuala Lumpur. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kangar, Perlis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Lumpur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.